Change of Heart
Chapter 5
Written By: Starburst Queen
Lily slept quiet peacefully for once and woke up refreshed the next morning to a warm looking yet chilly glow at her window. She jumped from discarded clothing article to discarded clothing article, left by her roommates and her self while getting ready for bed the previous night, trying to avoid a conflicting meeting with the cold flagstone floor just beneath her.
Soon, Lily reached the large bathroom that the five sixth year girls shared on a daily basis. Lily turned on a shower and watched in the mirror as fog and steam clouded up the bathroom. When the bathroom was well incased in a thick penetrating swarm of heat and steam Lily climbed into the stone shower and under the downpour of hot, burning, clear liquid. Lily sighed and stuck her head under the water to let it run down her front and back, down her face, leaving its trail as it went. She lathered her hair with shampoo, then conditioner, rinsing out each lather as she went.
She then began shaving, to only nick her leg, which began bleeding profusely, which led to Lily cursing loudly as she rushed to finish her shower. When she got out, she hobbled out of the bathroom, and as quietly as she could to her bed stand and grabbed her wand, and then hobbled back to the bathroom. Finally she sat down in a huff and fixed her cut. She sighed and finally began to dry of, pausing only briefly to rub on lotion before moving to the mirror again to twirl around with her hair. She finally decided on softly curling the tips of her layers when the door opened and her other four room mates began to filter in. Lily's long time enemies, Candice and Michelle sneered towards her and she sighed. Some things never changed. Along with them was Natalie. Her once beloved Natalie, whom she had shared many, many secrets with. Whom she had shared many late nights, and hot fudge sundaes, many crushes, and many still treasured memories.
When Natalie sneered, Lily could only look back towards the mirror, at her own reflection and slowly, with a now cold and numb hand, pick up an eyeliner pen. When she was done darkening the lines below and above her eyes she began to apply concealer and powder. Finally she walked out into their room to hunt for clothes. After many pain staking minutes of being hunched over hers and Evy's wardrobes, she came out victorious, holding a rugged looking pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved white shirt with "Evans" written on the back in maroon, with a symbol of a griffin under it. She quickly threw on her clothes and a pair of worn looking tennis shoes and ran out of the room, down to the Great Hall.
When she arrived she saw the Marauders eating and discussing the upcoming match of the day. Lily sat down across from James and grabbed a bagel and some strawberry cream cheese. Just as she was pouring herself a goblet of orange juice Evy came whirling in sporting Lily's new ankle length capris and lilac shirt and the funniest news Lily had heard in ages. "Guys! You'll never guess what just happened in our dorm!" Evy could barely contain her excitement and glee. She was quiet literally bouncing in her chair while buttering her toast and pouring her orange juice.
Lily laughed and took away the, though dull but still very capable of doing harm in the hands of a hyper Evy, butter knife and asked, "What happened Evy?" At this cue Evy replied very fast and rather loudly, "Natalie was in the bathroom and she thought she could use her wand as some odd kind of muggle contraption and curl her hair. Well, I guess she held the hot part of the wand in her hair for to long and," here she paused for a gulp or air, only to start again, at the same rapid pace, "it burned straight through her hair and it fell off! She's still in there shrieking, not knowing what to do! Well, I, of course, immediately started laughing hysterically and had to run out of the room before she could hex me or something and Candice and Michelle were trying to help her! But it was so great; a huge chunk of her long perfect black hair just fell out! Like that!" With a flourish, Evy snapped her fingers to punctuate her ending. With her finish the whole of the Gryffindor table and parts of others broke off into a tremendous laughter, which only greatened when Natalie, holding a third of her hair in her hand, stomped into the Great Hall looking for Madame Pompfrey.
Candice and Michelle flanked her, trying to look like they meant business, but miserably failing, seeing how they, themselves, could barely hold in their gales of laughter and large grins that threatened to enlighten their faces behind their perfectly manicured hands. Madame Pompfrey and Professor McGonagall immediately jumped to action, trying to shush the students and ushering the now half hairless Natalie out. Soon enough, the peals of laughter died down and everyone began to feel pre match jitters. The match was on a Saturday, so most of the student population was decked out in muggle clothing, with the only thing showing that they weren't at a normal school being their Hogwarts' cloaks they shouldered as a precaution to the warning weather.
Finally everyone began making their way to the Quidditch Pitch, each person elbowing their way through the crowd to get good seats. Lily, Evy, and Remus soon found their way to the Gryffindor stands and, choosing a seat near the top, began to watch the other students. After moments of briefly watching everyone, they heard their names being shouted. Lily looked up to see Rhea and Drhea waving frantically from a bottom row. Lily grinned and waved back, finally causing Evy and Remus to see the 'Dastardly Dou' as they had fondly began to be called. The twins climbed their way to the top to squeeze in between Evy and a fourth year Gryffindor named Alice McGee. As the hustle of finding seats died down Madame Hooch walked out into the middle of the pitch holding a broom in one hand and dragging a large, quivering trunk in the other.
The announcer, a sixth year Ravenclaw, Kaitlyn Moore, cleared her voice and began to announce the players of each House team, which began to assemble on the pitch. "Here is the Gryffindor House team: Johnson, Alley, McGregor, Potter, Lambert, Black, and, Covington! And now for the ahem, Slytherin House team: Crabbe, Goyle, Flint, Dickinson, Gregory, Callahan, and, McCoy." The latter team was said with less enthusiasm, both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff wanted Gryffindor to win the match. Everyone mounted their brooms and Madame Hooch opened the trunk, allowing three of the four balls to fly freely. She held the large red Quaffle in her right hand, mounted her broom, pushed off, and blew the whistle, which resided in her left hand. The teams rose in the air and she tossed the Quaffle in the air between two of the Chasers, Gryffindor's Alley grabbing it and taking off towards the Slytherin goal post where their Keeper, Callahan was waiting.
James was soon beside Mickey Alley and caught the thrown Quaffle. He dived under Gregory, around Dickinson, over a Bludger and shot the Quaffle into a Slytherin goal. Gryffindor supporters screamed their approval all throughout the stands while Slytherin supporters booed and hissed. While a Slytherin Chaser came into possession of the Quaffle, a Slytherin Beater hurled a Bludger towards Chandra Johnson, who was attempting to steal away the Quaffle. The Bludger hit Chandra with so much force it knocked her into a nearby stand and she slid to the grass and pebbles below. Madame Hooch blew her whistle and awarded Chandra a penalty shot, which she took and made, sending the Gryffindor supporters into another frenzy and making the score a wondrous twenty to zero, Gryffindor in the lead.
The game continued in this fashion for what seemed like hours until finally both Seekers spotted and soared after the Snitch, sending the crowd into a gasping shock, and the other players into a sort of still stupor. Neck and neck, Sean Covington and Alan McCoy were racing towards the Gryffindor stand where Lily and her friends sat, watching them with amazement. Both hands were outstretched, heading straight for Lily's ear. Suddenly she heard Evy above all of the cheering, "Don't move Lily! It's right by your ear!" Lily shut her eyes tightly and clenched her hands into earth shattering fists. She suddenly felt a rush above her head and felt her hair rustle. She opened her eyes and saw Sean's callused hand reach out and grab the small golden glimmer that was hovering just beside her. When his fingers had barely encircled the Snitch, he pulled up, raising his triumphant hand over his head. Lily felt the tip of his broom just brush the very top of her hair.
Lily let out the breath she had been holding and unclenched her hands to see deep nail indentions on the inside of her palms.
The crowd screamed their approval as the final score was raised: 270 to 120. Gryffindor banners and colors flew up all over the stadium, except for the entire green and silver section, which now looked sulky and sneered at the Gryffindor's and their team. The Gryffindor team rose in the air again and did a few small victory laps. As they were in the middle of their third lap, Lily and the others were standing up and getting ready to leave. Suddenly she uttered a shrill scream of terror as a brown, vile goop suddenly poured onto her head and ran down her face, back, and neck.
She looked up through the brown mess to see a sneering Natalie looking down, resting her elbows on her knees, residing on an upper bleacher. As she sneered and laughed she twirled her wand in between her fingers, carelessly as though it was nothing but a small child's toy baton. Lily glared, trying to ignore the snickering and chuckles around her, and struggled to smother the horrible bile that was rising in her throat. Lily let out a small whimper and turned her head. Natalie laughed, a loud, cruel, menacing laugh and suddenly there was a shower of white, soft, downy feathers raining down upon her, and sticking to her.
Then, suddenly on the Quidditch scoreboard, a picture of Lily in the previous year, flashed up. It was a picture of a blubbery, fat Lily modeling off her brand new fire engine red bikini off to her mother and Natalie, who had snapped a picture saying she looked beautiful and gorgeous. The now leaving crowd turned around to stare at the score board which read at the bottom of the picture, "Fat and Ugly Stops No Hoes!" and started to roar with a tremendous, cruel laughter. Most turned to point at the now, sticky, brown and white Lily as she sat there trying and failing miserably to suppress the downfall of tears that were cascading down her face.
Evy's arm found their way around Lily's shoulders, despite the disgusting mess. Rhea and Drhea stood in front of Lily as though they were her protectors and Remus' hands laid themselves on her right arm sending a warm comforting feeling throughout her body. Suddenly James and Sirius were above them, both with looks of hate and bad feeling on their faces. Lily couldn't look at any of their faces, full of pity and anger, because of the shame and humiliation that showed on hers.
James' arms were suddenly around Lily's waist as he scooped her up in his arms and sat her on his broom, flying her towards the castle, leaving the others to make their way as quick as possible to the Gryffindor Common Room. Instead of taking Lily through the whole school, he flew straight to the tower of the boys' dorm, where he slept and entered through the window, and sat Lily down, gently, on his bed, which was done in dark maroon and gold colors, that did not match his room mates beds, all done differently. Remus' bed was made of dark and light blues, with some silver, showing his calm, friendly nature, which he displayed so often to most people around him. Sirius' bed was done in many different bright colors, ranging from green to yellow. His bed showed his crazy and wild side that loved to prank and laugh. Lily loved the array of messy colors splashed on his bed. Peter, a boy whom sometimes roamed with the Marauders, but was more than often gone, had done his bed in a light sea foam green color, which Lily found to be very pretty. It showed his shy and quiet nature that everyone always saw.
Lily's tears had slowed and came at a less rapid pace, but still none the less, fell down her cheeks, leaving small, barely noticeable streaks as they went. James' arms remained around Lily as he rocked and shushed her, assuring her that everything would be all right and they would get Natalie back. Soon Remus, Sirius, and Evy rushed into the dorm, only to go back out, leaving James to comfort Lily, as they knew he could. James carried Lily into their bathroom and sat her down on a stool, which he summoned from somewhere.
He turned to a sink and drenched a washrag in warm water and turned back to Lily and wiped off her face, revealing a pink, hiccupping face. As he soothed her more, her hiccups died down and she looked up at James. "Thank-you James…"
He put both of his hands on her shoulder and leaned towards her, now just inches away from her face. "Lily…" He was now at a loss for words as he looked in her eyes. "Natalie is a bitch… you didn't deserve that and she won't get by with it. No matter what happens I'll- we'll be here for you…" James was just scant inches away from Lily and the thought, kiss her, flashed through his mind, which he almost willing did. But as a last minute's thought he shook his head and pulled back. "Look Lily, I'll get you some of your pants to put on and a tee shirt of mine, you can take a shower in here… we'll all be in the Common Room when you're ready okay?" Lily nodded and thanked James again as he brought her a pair of her long, baggy, gray sweat pants with the very tip of the bottoms cut off, and a slightly small, but still baggy maroon-ish red Gryffindor Quidditch shirt with his name on it. She quickly discarded her nasty clothes and jumped in the shower, thankful to be able to wash her hair and body, and free it of the sticky mess.
Finally, after spending more than an hour of scrubbing in the shower, she was clean and in fresh clothes. She dried her hair with a flick of her wand and paused before she exited the bathroom to smell James' sweet smell that hung around her and the bathroom, from where she had found and used his soap. She smiled slightly and made her way down to the Common Room, which was not surprisingly empty, seeing how everyone was at supper, except for the Marauders and Evy, who sat around a small table talking in hushed voices. When they saw Lily a look of concern passed everyone's faces and slowly disappeared when she smiled a very small smile. Evy moved over revealing a place to sit and a plate of food, along with some sweets, a goblet, and a jug of what she presumed to be butter beer from the sweet, warm smell wafting from it. Lily made her way to the table and took her spot between Evy and Remus and began to slowly eat her food. After a few moments of eating, she looked up, aware that everyone was staring at her.
"What is it?"
"We're going to get Natalie back… and show her that she can't pick on others." Evy's voice sounded clear and full of mischief.
"Natalie's going to pay for what she did to you Lil…You're either in or not, but we figured that--"
"You'd want to take place in revenge. Both Rhea and Drhea are in with us," Remus finished James' sentence. Lily looked at everyone sitting around the table. She looked at James and into his evil glinting eyes and shuddered against her will. She knew what he was planning and instead of revolting it and wanting to put a stop to it, like every other Prefect would, she found herself falling more and more into it, and she hated it.
Beside him, Sirius laughed cruelly and Remus cocked a questioning eyebrow at her. Beside her Evy's grin was full of revenge and despise. Lily sighed and nodded her head, finally lowering her defenses to the pressures of her friends. She lowered her head and sighed in defeat. She was about to dive into the icy cold waters of trouble, revenge, and everything else she was against, only to never return alive and whole again.
In a few hours, by their own minds and hands, Natalie Wong would feel all of the torture and pain, and even the sobs she had so often caused Lily and countless many others to fell in the past few months of school. In a few hours, Natalie Wong would pay.
A/N: I'm so glad I finally got that chapter finished! It took me forever. I would come up with certain spots in little spirts at odd moments, while I would be in a mad search for a pen and paper, to write them down. And then when I was writing it all and making it come together I had to change things and recreate some of them to make them fit in and sound right. I didn't think I would ever get this done. I don't know how long it will take me to finish the next chapter; I haven't even started to think about it. Next week I'll be gone out of town, but not to worry! I'll have my trusty pen and notebook! Hehe, check back in two weeks or so maybe… it should be done by then, but no promises! I don't feel like rereading this and making sure everything sounds right so, I'm sorry if it sounds screwed up. And here are the thank-you's for the last chapter: Shaye, mz-duCkiee, Zoey, Dude Where's My Cheese, Shining Crystal, and sum1special!! Thanks to all of my wonderful, beautiful reviewers! I love you all! Hehe, please be a darling and review this chapter, which I slaved over for you! Oh yeah, and now that we're up to 42 reviews, let's try to make it even higher! If we get to 50 or higher from this chapter I'll do or write a little something special for you like a little sweet or humorous short story or something, or whatever you want. And if you want me to review your stories tell me in a review!