Chapter 7- faking it!
Soon enough January is over, the snow had thawed and the castle was decorated in pink (Courtesy of the marauders). The boys had planned more full moon adventures and Lily had been worked hard by James.
They were still feeding Helga, pranking and lots more. Quidditch practises had been taken over by Harnie Chang, who was teaching her new moves and also moves the Griffindor seeker may use.
Lily sat at the Ravenclaw table one morning at breakfast, she was making polite conversation with Crystal, when the post owls came in by the dozen. Most owls had pink or red envelopes in their beaks as it was February the 14th, St Valentines day. Most people's attention, however was drawn to a white dove which carried a white Lily and a pink envelope. Lily was amazed when it landed in front of her. She took the lily which turned into a dozen red roses at her touch. She opened the envelope:
Lily,
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
No one I've met,
Is as dazzling as you!
Your secret admirer xxx
Lily began to sob quietly.
"Lily what's wrong?" Crystal said concerned.
"That's a horrible joke!"
"What is? What does that say?" She took the note, "Why do you think it's a joke?"
"Nobody would like me in that way."
"Why not?"
"Because I am ugly and nerdy and horrible!"
"says who?"
"Everyone."
"I don't, Lily, you are smart, pretty and lovely, I don't see why this would be a joke."
"Ow yeah, and who could've sent it?"
"Well let's see, any one of the marauders, there always all over you. Alot of people were impressed when you had a go at Bertha before Christmas as well! It could be any one."
"I still think it's a joke!"
"Whatever!" Later on that week Lily and James were in a prefects meeting about Dumbledore's ball, which was planned for the Easter holidays. James had booked the spooks and everyone loved the idea of the slave auction. James had gathered a list of slaves, this included; the head boy and girl, all of the prefects and also Peter, Remus and Sirius. Making a total of 13 people. Lily had made a booklet of them, by taking a picture of each slave holding a number with a little description by the side. For example:
Sirius Black;
A self assured boy of 5ft 9in.
He will make sure you are always in the lime light.
He is loyal and fun loving.
His strong subjects are, Transfiguration and Defence against the dark arts.
He is not so good at potions.
If you choose him he will be there for your every beckon call.
Lily had now taken up the project of gathering photo's of Dumbledore to stick around the great hall. She had found a couple in the daily prophet and had added a few letters into invitations, one in his brothers, one in the current ministers and one in a chap called Flammel, Professor Mcgonnagal said they went back a long way!
She had a few photos herself, as did Hagrid. It was nice that both his students and staff had come together on this sense of occasion to celebrate his birthday, it made Lily feel united in a cause.
She could only hope that one day her life would perhaps be celebrated, with raised glasses by the wizarding community, grateful for her existence.
Lily and James walked to the owlery, arms full of invitations to send.
"So you looking forward to the ball?" James asked.
"Not really, we have a couple of months yet. Plus it will be depressing, no one will ask me."
"Well who do you want to go with?" He asked hopefully, taking her off guard. AHH! What should she say? She couldn't possibly say the truth, which of course was him. So she said the next best thing...
"Umm... Sirius?" She soon regretted it.
A look of sheer disappointment flickered across James' face, he had wanted her so badly and she had crushed his heart, she didn't want him.
The only girl he had EVER liked and she wanted his best friend! He felt like crying! But no, James Potter never cried. He very quickly masked his disappointment, with an overly happy face.
"Sirius huh? Well that can be arranged!" and evil smile had spread across his face.
"No, James! No way! As if he would want to go with me! LOOK AT ME! I'm ugly, nerdy and I can't even dance!"
"Don't ever say your ugly! Your not! But if you want I can get my sister to prepare you for the ball. And me and Remus can teach you to dance. I've been dancing since I was little. The son of a famous Quidditch player has to attend many formal do's you know. And as for Sirius, he will be delighted to escort you."
WHAT?! NOWAY!" Was Sirius' reply to that question.
"Why not?"
"I thought you liked her? I wanted to go with Emma Jones, that Hufflepuff in our year!"
"Ow come on Siri, she said she wanted to go with you and it would really boost her self-esteem if you said yes." James put on his puppy dog eyes.
That's funny Sirius thought, I was sure Lily fancied James. Maybe he was right? Maybe she was flirting with me? He then remembered all the times he had watched them talking. There was more than just friends, the way they interacted, they were closer, even so then how his parents had been when his mother was still there. He missed his mother, it had been 3 years now.
She had died at and early age of 35, giving birth to his sister, who also did not survive the complicated birth. His father had been with her holding her hand all through it, from the first contraction to his mothers last breath. His dad had gone slightly unhinged after the incident, he had loved his wife so much.
He felt he could not go on without her. Luckily he received psychiatric help very quickly, being as for up in the ministry as he had been. Otherwise Sirius may not have either parent. The only person felt he could confide in was James. James had helped him through his lowest point. James was the closest thing to a brother he had.
And now it seemed James had found his soul mate, but he just couldn't pluck up the courage to ask her out. This is where Sirius could help out.
He would accept this date and persuade her to recognise her feelings towards his best mate and partner in crime for life. One day he would be helping their child, he just knew it. He could feel the connection between the pair.
the way James always seemed to boost Lily's confidence not by the training, but by just being there. And the way Lily made James happy and smile, a way in which only Sirius, Remus and Peter used to be able to do, before Lily he used to lock out the rest of the world, hiding the feelings he had of his father away form the world.
They truly brought out the best in each other. And it may sound very soon but in under a year they had become very close. Almost as close as James and himself.
"Ok, I'll do it. But you owe me big time." The next day in charms, James passed a letter forward to Lily, it read;
Lily, Sirius said YES!
She read it confused;
To What?
she passed back.
To go to the ball with you!
Ow Merlin! He actually asked Sirius for me! Now I can't even take back what I said!
You asked him? I can't go with him!
She can't go with him? Why not?
Why not?
Lily thought long and hard.
I'm ugly and I can't dance.
Urr not this again! James thought.
LILY! YOU ARE NOT UGLY! And I already told you I will help you learn to dance!
Now what? lily thought.
Urr... ok!
You'd at least think she would be grateful, James thought. I mean I do all this and she's not even going with me!
Lily who seemed to be thinking along the same lines- He's doing all this for me and I don't even sound grateful! She wrote on a new piece of paper:
THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH JAMES! YOU ARE A TRUE FRIEND! I WILL PAY YOU BACK SOME HOW! I PROMISE! ANYTHING YOU WANT, JUST NAME IT!
She looked at him, a cheeky grin spread across his face.
With in reason! Anything with in reason!
she wrote on another piece of parchment. He replied:
Too late for that!
What have I gotten myself into? Lily thought to herself.
She realised, that she was having fun, and that all the work she had done recently, had been hard, but fun all the same.
She loved hanging around with James and the more she thought of him and remembered the good times they had had over the past few months, the more she couldn't remember the reasons she had said she wanted to go to the ball with Sirius. She really regretted not telling James how she felt.
Soon enough January is over, the snow had thawed and the castle was decorated in pink (Courtesy of the marauders). The boys had planned more full moon adventures and Lily had been worked hard by James.
They were still feeding Helga, pranking and lots more. Quidditch practises had been taken over by Harnie Chang, who was teaching her new moves and also moves the Griffindor seeker may use.
Lily sat at the Ravenclaw table one morning at breakfast, she was making polite conversation with Crystal, when the post owls came in by the dozen. Most owls had pink or red envelopes in their beaks as it was February the 14th, St Valentines day. Most people's attention, however was drawn to a white dove which carried a white Lily and a pink envelope. Lily was amazed when it landed in front of her. She took the lily which turned into a dozen red roses at her touch. She opened the envelope:
Lily,
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
No one I've met,
Is as dazzling as you!
Your secret admirer xxx
Lily began to sob quietly.
"Lily what's wrong?" Crystal said concerned.
"That's a horrible joke!"
"What is? What does that say?" She took the note, "Why do you think it's a joke?"
"Nobody would like me in that way."
"Why not?"
"Because I am ugly and nerdy and horrible!"
"says who?"
"Everyone."
"I don't, Lily, you are smart, pretty and lovely, I don't see why this would be a joke."
"Ow yeah, and who could've sent it?"
"Well let's see, any one of the marauders, there always all over you. Alot of people were impressed when you had a go at Bertha before Christmas as well! It could be any one."
"I still think it's a joke!"
"Whatever!" Later on that week Lily and James were in a prefects meeting about Dumbledore's ball, which was planned for the Easter holidays. James had booked the spooks and everyone loved the idea of the slave auction. James had gathered a list of slaves, this included; the head boy and girl, all of the prefects and also Peter, Remus and Sirius. Making a total of 13 people. Lily had made a booklet of them, by taking a picture of each slave holding a number with a little description by the side. For example:
Sirius Black;
A self assured boy of 5ft 9in.
He will make sure you are always in the lime light.
He is loyal and fun loving.
His strong subjects are, Transfiguration and Defence against the dark arts.
He is not so good at potions.
If you choose him he will be there for your every beckon call.
Lily had now taken up the project of gathering photo's of Dumbledore to stick around the great hall. She had found a couple in the daily prophet and had added a few letters into invitations, one in his brothers, one in the current ministers and one in a chap called Flammel, Professor Mcgonnagal said they went back a long way!
She had a few photos herself, as did Hagrid. It was nice that both his students and staff had come together on this sense of occasion to celebrate his birthday, it made Lily feel united in a cause.
She could only hope that one day her life would perhaps be celebrated, with raised glasses by the wizarding community, grateful for her existence.
Lily and James walked to the owlery, arms full of invitations to send.
"So you looking forward to the ball?" James asked.
"Not really, we have a couple of months yet. Plus it will be depressing, no one will ask me."
"Well who do you want to go with?" He asked hopefully, taking her off guard. AHH! What should she say? She couldn't possibly say the truth, which of course was him. So she said the next best thing...
"Umm... Sirius?" She soon regretted it.
A look of sheer disappointment flickered across James' face, he had wanted her so badly and she had crushed his heart, she didn't want him.
The only girl he had EVER liked and she wanted his best friend! He felt like crying! But no, James Potter never cried. He very quickly masked his disappointment, with an overly happy face.
"Sirius huh? Well that can be arranged!" and evil smile had spread across his face.
"No, James! No way! As if he would want to go with me! LOOK AT ME! I'm ugly, nerdy and I can't even dance!"
"Don't ever say your ugly! Your not! But if you want I can get my sister to prepare you for the ball. And me and Remus can teach you to dance. I've been dancing since I was little. The son of a famous Quidditch player has to attend many formal do's you know. And as for Sirius, he will be delighted to escort you."
WHAT?! NOWAY!" Was Sirius' reply to that question.
"Why not?"
"I thought you liked her? I wanted to go with Emma Jones, that Hufflepuff in our year!"
"Ow come on Siri, she said she wanted to go with you and it would really boost her self-esteem if you said yes." James put on his puppy dog eyes.
That's funny Sirius thought, I was sure Lily fancied James. Maybe he was right? Maybe she was flirting with me? He then remembered all the times he had watched them talking. There was more than just friends, the way they interacted, they were closer, even so then how his parents had been when his mother was still there. He missed his mother, it had been 3 years now.
She had died at and early age of 35, giving birth to his sister, who also did not survive the complicated birth. His father had been with her holding her hand all through it, from the first contraction to his mothers last breath. His dad had gone slightly unhinged after the incident, he had loved his wife so much.
He felt he could not go on without her. Luckily he received psychiatric help very quickly, being as for up in the ministry as he had been. Otherwise Sirius may not have either parent. The only person felt he could confide in was James. James had helped him through his lowest point. James was the closest thing to a brother he had.
And now it seemed James had found his soul mate, but he just couldn't pluck up the courage to ask her out. This is where Sirius could help out.
He would accept this date and persuade her to recognise her feelings towards his best mate and partner in crime for life. One day he would be helping their child, he just knew it. He could feel the connection between the pair.
the way James always seemed to boost Lily's confidence not by the training, but by just being there. And the way Lily made James happy and smile, a way in which only Sirius, Remus and Peter used to be able to do, before Lily he used to lock out the rest of the world, hiding the feelings he had of his father away form the world.
They truly brought out the best in each other. And it may sound very soon but in under a year they had become very close. Almost as close as James and himself.
"Ok, I'll do it. But you owe me big time." The next day in charms, James passed a letter forward to Lily, it read;
Lily, Sirius said YES!
She read it confused;
To What?
she passed back.
To go to the ball with you!
Ow Merlin! He actually asked Sirius for me! Now I can't even take back what I said!
You asked him? I can't go with him!
She can't go with him? Why not?
Why not?
Lily thought long and hard.
I'm ugly and I can't dance.
Urr not this again! James thought.
LILY! YOU ARE NOT UGLY! And I already told you I will help you learn to dance!
Now what? lily thought.
Urr... ok!
You'd at least think she would be grateful, James thought. I mean I do all this and she's not even going with me!
Lily who seemed to be thinking along the same lines- He's doing all this for me and I don't even sound grateful! She wrote on a new piece of paper:
THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH JAMES! YOU ARE A TRUE FRIEND! I WILL PAY YOU BACK SOME HOW! I PROMISE! ANYTHING YOU WANT, JUST NAME IT!
She looked at him, a cheeky grin spread across his face.
With in reason! Anything with in reason!
she wrote on another piece of parchment. He replied:
Too late for that!
What have I gotten myself into? Lily thought to herself.
She realised, that she was having fun, and that all the work she had done recently, had been hard, but fun all the same.
She loved hanging around with James and the more she thought of him and remembered the good times they had had over the past few months, the more she couldn't remember the reasons she had said she wanted to go to the ball with Sirius. She really regretted not telling James how she felt.