Lily went
dashing up the boys dorms and the tired, grouchy boys who were trying
to sleep crowded into the hall, curious yet upset that something had
woke them up.
"Excuse me! Prefect coming through!" She
managed to shout, shoving a few first and second years out of the
way. However, she was not having much luck getting the third or
fourth years out of the way.
"Alright, get out of the bloody
way," hollered another voice from above. It turned out to be
Sirius, who was helping Remus support a student. Who it was she
couldn't tell, because of all the cuts and blood, gushing out of
them. Lily wanted to scream so badly, or at least wake up from this
nightmare. Yet, all she could do was stare.
Rooted to the
spot, she watched as they carried the unknown student past her. It
was like she was watching a horror movie unfold. Breaths came to her
more sharply till finally she remembered her duty as prefect.
Reluctantly, she managed to say a bit hoarsely, "Ok people! Nothing
more to see here!"
She quickly ushered the boys back into
their dorms, warning them that they could get in big trouble if they
lingered. Then she took off at a run to go back to her own dorm.
Quietly, she taped Emma, the girl next her bed snoring loudly
like she always did.
"Emma, are you asleep?" asked
Lily.
"Well, if I was I'm not now," she mumbled, sitting
up slowly. In her night clothes, she rubbed her before hopping out to
get her robes. "What's wrong?" she asked, noticing Lily's
concerned expression she now bore on her face. "You look like
somebody's died or something."
"Well I sure hope they
haven't, come on! I'll explain as we go," whispered Lily,
leading her friend out of the dorm and down the stairs. Once out in
the hall, she began.
"One of the boys were attacked. No idea
which one, he's bloodied up so bad.....So I'm going to the
hospital wing, Remus and Sirius carried him out. I mean he had cuts
all over."
"Whoa! First Potter getting attacked, now
this!" said Emma, now wide awake.
"Wait! Potter!"
The
idea coming to her, she took off at a dash, leaving Emma behind. Why
didn't she realize it? Why didn't it occur to her? Potter had
been attacked outside school grounds but got away. Maybe because he
knows about something, most likely important, he has a chance of
being attacked again for knowing something. Smacking her head with
her hand for realizing her stupidity, she finally reached the
hospital wing.
Inside were voices, soft and worried voices at
that. Murmuring about what had happened. Lily crept in and came over
to the two sixth years and Madame Promfrey, and sure enough she saw
Potter, laying before them. He looked even worse up close. His
clothes were soaked with sweat and stained with blood. Those once
life-giving hazel eyes had suddenly glowed were now dull and
shadowed. Lily wanted to reach for him, to cry, but all she could do
was stare at him.
"Ms. Evans, please go get Professor
Dumbledore and McGonagol," said Madame Promfrey, now deciding to
take action. However, Lily continued to stare at James, scared out of
her wits.
"It's ok Lily, Sirius, you stay here," said
Remus solemnly. "I'll go with you."
And with that, he
pulled Lily out of the room, tears starting well up behind her green
eyes. But she was a Gryffindor, and she had to stay brave. Her mind
wandered to taking action.
"I'll get McGonagol, you get
Dumbledore," she said at once.
"You sure?" he asked
softly. Lily nodded her head.
"Ok." Then he left her for
Dumbledore's office as she headed down the dim corridor toward
McGonagol's office. She thought about all the times she'd been
rude to James, never cared about his feelings, now she felt ashamed.
Stopping, she clutched stomach, leaning against the wall. She was
going to be sick. All she could do was think about being so mean, if
only she'd been nicer.
'Now is not the time,' she
reminded herself, and giving herself a little shove, she managed to
continue to walk down the hallway. Why did bad things continue to
happen to him? 'Oh, stop thinking about him,' she argued as she
entered her destination.
The room was dark and in the next
room over, behind a creaked door, she heard a soft snore. Tiptoeing,
Lily opened the door and muttered, "Lumos!"
The room
around, though dim her light was, seemed to be a quaint, organized
room. Hesitant at first, she poked the sleeping Professor, praying
that would be enough. Luckily, it was.
"What is it Ms.
Evans?" asked McGonagol, bolting upward. She was in her green night
gown, but she was wide awake alright.
"There's been some
sort of attack, involving James Potter," said Lily, jumping back as
her transfiguration figure hopped out of bed and grabbed her robe and
shawl. Saying nothing more, McGonagol ran out and as fast she could,
down the dark corridor.
"He's in the hospital wing,"
shouted Lily, tearing off up the hallway to keep up with her teacher.
She'd never seen McGonagol act this way before.
When the
came to the hospital door, they met Dumbledore and Remus as well.
Both Professors walked in quickly and beheld the nasty sight of the
boy. Lily couldn't stand the gore scene too much longer. The tears
became a bit more fresh and she tried hard to strain herself from
crying. Emma was clutching Sirius' arm, who was weeping a bit.
After all, him and James are very close.
"You may all return
to your dormitories," announced Dumbledore finally. "I'll give
you word of his conditions later. Stay in your common room if you
wish, but please don't make a racket."
All of them left
silently, all except for Lily, who couldn't move. McGonagol,
sensing her high emotions, lead her out and told her good night
before returning. As she walked down the hall, she let it all out.
Now she felt guilty, like she was the reason all this had happened to
James, like she could have stopped him.
"Oh James," she
whispered softly. However, their was no one there to comfort her.
Back in the common room, her face was tear stained and Remus and Emma
were the only ones in the common room. She sat down on the couch and
starred into the fire. She didn't need to ask were Sirius was.
Guessing was easy for her. He was probably up in his dorm, trying to
ease his anger or find the cause.
Emma left a little while
later, muttering something about wanting to be up early Saturday.
Lily didn't leave, and neither did Remus. Peter was up in his dorm,
supposedly trying to comfort Sirius. Remus sat down in a chair and
didn't speak either. Was there someone out to get James? Oh, why
was she always mean to him?
Continuing to cry, she laid down,
the pain becoming unbearable to continue sitting up. After a while
her eyes began to droop. Then she dozed off.
