Chapter 12 – In Hiding
Lily panted as she leant against the cold, stone wall. She was out of breath. She hated running, but it was better than facing the rest of the school.
She crouched in the darkness, visible only as a shadow. She didn't want anyone to find her. She didn't want to come out – she couldn't.
A single tear rolled down her cheek. Everything seemed bleak and desolate. Matthew would dump her, and she would go home single yet again, only to find her sister Petunia flaunting another unpleasant boyfriend. Last year's had been an arrogant beachball called Vernon, and Lily had had to put up with him all summer. How could she have done that to Matthew? Why didn't she have the sense to think first? Matthew would be heartbroken. Of course, now she knew what she should have done. She should have broken it off with Matthew there and then, and when things had calmed down a little, then she should have talked to James. But it was too late now. The damage was done. What would James think? He would probably label her as a desperate freak, and start going out with Siobhan Finnigan or someone, someone good at Quidditch.
Dumbledore would take away her position of Head Girl. He'd have to, after such a display. Lily felt her cheeks burn with shame. The whole school had been watching…. No, it was only right that he should find a new Head Girl for the last few weeks. How could anyone respect a Head Girl who did things like that?
And what about her so-called friends? Would they talk to her again after what she had done to Matthew? Not only had she blatantly cheated on one of their close friends, she had also cheated on him with the man who had just stolen the glory of the Quidditch Cup from Ravenclaw. She doubted they would forgive her for that.
At least I'm leaving this year, she thought. I won't have to bear it for too long.
"Where can she be?" demanded a voice. "Lily? Where are you?"
"I don't think she's here, Prongs," said another.
Oh no, thought Lily desperately, it's James and his gang. I don't want them to find me, I won't let them find me.
She shrank even further back into the corner.
Please don't let him find me, she prayed, I'm not ready to face him yet.
James sighed.
"We'd better go and see Dumbledore then," he said hopelessly. "We've searched everywhere and there's no sign of her. I'm worried."
Lily waited for a few minutes before breathing a heavy sigh of relief. They wouldn't come back for a while. Maybe she could just stay here. It would be better than suffering whatever the Slytherins had planned for her. She wondered how long she'd been sitting here. A few hours, probably, if James had had time to look all over the school. He was worried about her! Lily gave a faint smile. He still liked her then. Perhaps things wouldn't be so bad… after a while. At any rate, she needed time to think before she resurfaced in school. She was so tired….