Chapter 4: Callous Attack
Lily was relieved when she heard the familiar eleven o'clock chimes, and wasted no time in directly heading back to the Gryffindor common room. She clambered into the portrait hole and immediately climbed up the winding staircase to the seventh year girls' dormitory, eager to sleep.
She crept into the dormitory and quietly shut the door, not wanting to wake anyone up. All was quiet except for the slight snores that escaped from one or two of her dorm-mates. Lily slinked over to her bed and climbed under the covers of her warm duvet, she turned to her side while resting her head on her pillow and before long fell asleep.
She woke the next morning refreshed and alert, and in a much better disposition. She smiled to herself as the week sunrays shone through the dormitory window.
"Morning, Lil's," chimed a voice to the right.
Herra was perched crossed legged on her bed, still in her maroon pyjamas.
"Morning, Herra," replied Lily.
She yawned and lazily untangled herself from under her duvet, the cold air braced her as she clapped her feet to the floor. Kristy and Lorraine had gone already, and in their departure had left their beds very untidy and unmade. Sandra's bed was also empty, but neatly made.
"Any plans for today? You haven't got duty tonight, have you?" asked Herra, rising from her bed while stretching her arms in an upward motion.
"No, I don't think so," Lily replied, "I guess we could finish off our homework, just to get it done."
"Lily!" squealed Herra instantly in protest, "It's a Saturday, people aren't supposed to do homework on a Saturday."
-x-
"Herra, are you done yet?"
Lily was indolently leaning against the dormitory door, impatiently waiting for Herra to finish platting her half-braided hair.
"Why are you taking so much time today, Herra?" Lily asked again. "Wasn't it you who said beauty was superficial," she added in a teasing voice.
Herra grunted and fastened the finished braid with a black bobble. "Correct, Lil's, and I'm merely trying to improve my appearance," she replied simply, now patting the creases in her pale blue top.
"OK, so when you're done trying to look immaculate, can we please leave? It's all ready twelve a clock," complained Lily.
Herra laughed quietly to herself and sprang off her bed, "Nothing is perfect, Lil's," she replied.
She walked to the door and gestured for Lily to open it- who took great contentment in doing so. Lily had expected the common room to be empty at this time of the day, as it was unusual for people to linger in the mornings. Yet, four boys were still sat on separate maroon sofas, talking animatedly while laughing together. Lily recognised these boys to be the Marauders, and quickly signalled at the portrait door to Herra, however, she was cut short as someone called her name.
"Lily!" beckoned James.
She turned round reluctantly.
"Yes, Potter?" she asked promptly.
James frowned, "must we be so hostile?" he asked naively with an arched eyebrow.
"When you're wasting my time, yes- I think so," answered Lily.
James mockingly sighed and shook his head in a satirical manner, "Well Evans, Professor Dumbledore wants us to go to a meeting with him tonight about the Hogsmeade trips," he replied, overly-emphasising the words 'Evans'. "He asked for me and you to meet him in the Great Hall at nine o'clock."
Lily nodded slowly, slightly taken aback as she had expected James to come out with one of his usual jeering comments.
"Oh. Ok, thanks," she replied coolly, shifting her eyes away from James and moving towards the door.
"So, James didn't waste your time?" suddenly called out Sirius..
"No, not that time," replied Lily, before opening the portrait and door and leaving with Herra.
-x-
Since Lily and Herra had undoubtedly missed breakfast, they instead proceeded out into the school grounds. The sun made a coy appearance, but nevertheless, Lily thought it was rather cold.
They walked to the edge of the lake and sat upon the grass, before staring into the deep depths of the clear icy water. This was Lily and Herra's favourite spot, they loved sitting by the edge of the lake while watching light ripples form across the surface. In the summer, they would even risk dipping their toes in to feel the cool sensation against their skin.
"Cold day," said Herra, gazing up to the clear blue sky that was lightly scattered with small pearly clouds.
"Yeah," agreed Lily, gushes of wind brushing across her face.
As Lily continued to watch the lake, she noticed a dark murky shadow gradually grow taller and wider upon the surface of the water. She quickly turned around to see what was casting the shadow and instantly scowled when she saw whom the shadow belonged to.
"What, Malfoy?" she asked irritably, loathingly watching the tall figure in front of her.
Lucius Malfoy was a seventh year Slytherin and showed every sign of purest dislike for anyone who wasn't a pureblood wizard or witch, like himself. He took great pleasure in teasing those more gullible and weaker then him, and took immense pleasure in insulting Lily because of her muggle heritage. He had sleek blond hair that was tightly combed back behind his face and cold piercing eyes.
He towered over Lily with a malevolent smile crinkling his pale lips. " Oh, so the mudblood is back," he finally said in an icy tone.
Herra abruptly rose from the ground and faced Lucius, utter detest shelling her face. Lily grabbed Herra and pulled her back down to the ground.
"What's wrong, Evans? You can't stand up for yourself, or are you just... scared?" he snarled, his eyes glinting in a callous manner.
Lily glared at Lucius, her face growing hotter by the second. How could one person cause so much fear and pain towards another? Malfoy did not bother Lily with his insults, but she had saw plenty of other people get extremely upset over his unpleasant remarks.
"Go away Malfoy, or you will regret it," Lily said through tightly clenched teeth.
Lucius bitingly laughed and took a further step towards Lily, who in return stood, her face inches apart from his pale pointed one.
"Or what, mudblood?" he asked derisively, "Will you report me?"
At that very moment, rushed footsteps echoed across the ground, and an instant later, James Potter along with Sirius Black had emerged by her side.
"Malfoy, get out of here and leave Lily alone," James said shortly, stepping before Lucius, Sirius avidly at his heels.
"Potter, stay out of this," Lily jabbed quietly, feeling the heat slowly rising inside her. However, James ignored Lily's order and continued to glower at Lucius.
"Why should I listen to you, Potter?" retorted Lucius, now focusing his eyes on James.
Several people had stopped what they were doing, and instead were ardently watching the small circle enveloping Lily.
Sirius stepped up from behind James and withdrew his wand from his back trouser pocket. "Because if you don't, things will get pretty ugly," he threatened, pointing his raised wand at Lucius's chest.
He scowled at Sirius and hastily pushed his wand away, lingering his gaze on Lily momentarily before finally walking away. Lily sighed as she watched him walk across the grounds towards the castle. She was capable of handling his snide comments herself, without James intercepting and causing a big scene, like he usually did when she was in what looked like a vulnerable position.
"Look, Potter, you don't have to stand up for me," Lily stung.
James scowled at the distant figure and quickly faced Lily, outraged, "Do you think I'm just going to let him talk to you like that?" he asked in tones of fury and irritation.
"Potter, I'm quite capable of standing up for myself," Lily snapped angrily. "You don't own me so don't try to!" she shouted tetchily, taking Herra by the arm and leading her away from an obviously affronted James.
-x-
Lily was relieved when she heard the familiar eleven o'clock chimes, and wasted no time in directly heading back to the Gryffindor common room. She clambered into the portrait hole and immediately climbed up the winding staircase to the seventh year girls' dormitory, eager to sleep.
She crept into the dormitory and quietly shut the door, not wanting to wake anyone up. All was quiet except for the slight snores that escaped from one or two of her dorm-mates. Lily slinked over to her bed and climbed under the covers of her warm duvet, she turned to her side while resting her head on her pillow and before long fell asleep.
She woke the next morning refreshed and alert, and in a much better disposition. She smiled to herself as the week sunrays shone through the dormitory window.
"Morning, Lil's," chimed a voice to the right.
Herra was perched crossed legged on her bed, still in her maroon pyjamas.
"Morning, Herra," replied Lily.
She yawned and lazily untangled herself from under her duvet, the cold air braced her as she clapped her feet to the floor. Kristy and Lorraine had gone already, and in their departure had left their beds very untidy and unmade. Sandra's bed was also empty, but neatly made.
"Any plans for today? You haven't got duty tonight, have you?" asked Herra, rising from her bed while stretching her arms in an upward motion.
"No, I don't think so," Lily replied, "I guess we could finish off our homework, just to get it done."
"Lily!" squealed Herra instantly in protest, "It's a Saturday, people aren't supposed to do homework on a Saturday."
-x-
"Herra, are you done yet?"
Lily was indolently leaning against the dormitory door, impatiently waiting for Herra to finish platting her half-braided hair.
"Why are you taking so much time today, Herra?" Lily asked again. "Wasn't it you who said beauty was superficial," she added in a teasing voice.
Herra grunted and fastened the finished braid with a black bobble. "Correct, Lil's, and I'm merely trying to improve my appearance," she replied simply, now patting the creases in her pale blue top.
"OK, so when you're done trying to look immaculate, can we please leave? It's all ready twelve a clock," complained Lily.
Herra laughed quietly to herself and sprang off her bed, "Nothing is perfect, Lil's," she replied.
She walked to the door and gestured for Lily to open it- who took great contentment in doing so. Lily had expected the common room to be empty at this time of the day, as it was unusual for people to linger in the mornings. Yet, four boys were still sat on separate maroon sofas, talking animatedly while laughing together. Lily recognised these boys to be the Marauders, and quickly signalled at the portrait door to Herra, however, she was cut short as someone called her name.
"Lily!" beckoned James.
She turned round reluctantly.
"Yes, Potter?" she asked promptly.
James frowned, "must we be so hostile?" he asked naively with an arched eyebrow.
"When you're wasting my time, yes- I think so," answered Lily.
James mockingly sighed and shook his head in a satirical manner, "Well Evans, Professor Dumbledore wants us to go to a meeting with him tonight about the Hogsmeade trips," he replied, overly-emphasising the words 'Evans'. "He asked for me and you to meet him in the Great Hall at nine o'clock."
Lily nodded slowly, slightly taken aback as she had expected James to come out with one of his usual jeering comments.
"Oh. Ok, thanks," she replied coolly, shifting her eyes away from James and moving towards the door.
"So, James didn't waste your time?" suddenly called out Sirius..
"No, not that time," replied Lily, before opening the portrait and door and leaving with Herra.
-x-
Since Lily and Herra had undoubtedly missed breakfast, they instead proceeded out into the school grounds. The sun made a coy appearance, but nevertheless, Lily thought it was rather cold.
They walked to the edge of the lake and sat upon the grass, before staring into the deep depths of the clear icy water. This was Lily and Herra's favourite spot, they loved sitting by the edge of the lake while watching light ripples form across the surface. In the summer, they would even risk dipping their toes in to feel the cool sensation against their skin.
"Cold day," said Herra, gazing up to the clear blue sky that was lightly scattered with small pearly clouds.
"Yeah," agreed Lily, gushes of wind brushing across her face.
As Lily continued to watch the lake, she noticed a dark murky shadow gradually grow taller and wider upon the surface of the water. She quickly turned around to see what was casting the shadow and instantly scowled when she saw whom the shadow belonged to.
"What, Malfoy?" she asked irritably, loathingly watching the tall figure in front of her.
Lucius Malfoy was a seventh year Slytherin and showed every sign of purest dislike for anyone who wasn't a pureblood wizard or witch, like himself. He took great pleasure in teasing those more gullible and weaker then him, and took immense pleasure in insulting Lily because of her muggle heritage. He had sleek blond hair that was tightly combed back behind his face and cold piercing eyes.
He towered over Lily with a malevolent smile crinkling his pale lips. " Oh, so the mudblood is back," he finally said in an icy tone.
Herra abruptly rose from the ground and faced Lucius, utter detest shelling her face. Lily grabbed Herra and pulled her back down to the ground.
"What's wrong, Evans? You can't stand up for yourself, or are you just... scared?" he snarled, his eyes glinting in a callous manner.
Lily glared at Lucius, her face growing hotter by the second. How could one person cause so much fear and pain towards another? Malfoy did not bother Lily with his insults, but she had saw plenty of other people get extremely upset over his unpleasant remarks.
"Go away Malfoy, or you will regret it," Lily said through tightly clenched teeth.
Lucius bitingly laughed and took a further step towards Lily, who in return stood, her face inches apart from his pale pointed one.
"Or what, mudblood?" he asked derisively, "Will you report me?"
At that very moment, rushed footsteps echoed across the ground, and an instant later, James Potter along with Sirius Black had emerged by her side.
"Malfoy, get out of here and leave Lily alone," James said shortly, stepping before Lucius, Sirius avidly at his heels.
"Potter, stay out of this," Lily jabbed quietly, feeling the heat slowly rising inside her. However, James ignored Lily's order and continued to glower at Lucius.
"Why should I listen to you, Potter?" retorted Lucius, now focusing his eyes on James.
Several people had stopped what they were doing, and instead were ardently watching the small circle enveloping Lily.
Sirius stepped up from behind James and withdrew his wand from his back trouser pocket. "Because if you don't, things will get pretty ugly," he threatened, pointing his raised wand at Lucius's chest.
He scowled at Sirius and hastily pushed his wand away, lingering his gaze on Lily momentarily before finally walking away. Lily sighed as she watched him walk across the grounds towards the castle. She was capable of handling his snide comments herself, without James intercepting and causing a big scene, like he usually did when she was in what looked like a vulnerable position.
"Look, Potter, you don't have to stand up for me," Lily stung.
James scowled at the distant figure and quickly faced Lily, outraged, "Do you think I'm just going to let him talk to you like that?" he asked in tones of fury and irritation.
"Potter, I'm quite capable of standing up for myself," Lily snapped angrily. "You don't own me so don't try to!" she shouted tetchily, taking Herra by the arm and leading her away from an obviously affronted James.
-x-