A/N: Thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed! I apologize that this time I will not be able to respond to each one personally, but next time I will certainly try my best. I love you all!
To Be Young Again
Chapter 24: Revealed
How do I get myself out of this mess? How did I get in? Lily asked herself that night, with James still sitting by her side, but Lily not knowing it.
Where am I?
James noticed Lily's slightly furrowed brow. She must be having a nightmare or something, he thought. He brushed her hair away from her forehead and lifted her hand into his. He lifted it to his lips, and brushed it gently. Lily stirred slightly, and James' heart leapt. She became still again. James strode away quickly, scared of what he had done.
"Oh," said James slowly. "I think I understand."
He was sitting in Professor Dumbledore's office, trying to process the information about Lily Dumbledore had given him.
"Thanks."
Lily stirred again, this time at 7:35 AM. Her eyelids fluttered, and slowly opened. She glanced around at her unfamiliar white surroundings. Carefully, she got out of bed, her bare feet touching the cold stone floor. Only in a nightgown, she spotted her Hogwarts robe lying on the headboard. Using the bed to support herself, Lily made her way to her robe and quickly threw it on. Staggering, she made it to the door of the Hospital Wing, stepped outside, and bumped into someone.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," the young male pulled her to her feet. He looked at her face.
"Lily," James breathed. "I- I mean, Evans. You're awake."
"Very good, Potter," Lily snapped. "Now, what time is it?"
"Er, about 7:40 AM. Come on; let's get you to your room. You need to sleep."
"Huh? No!" Lily was outraged. "I need to find my way to Herbology…"
"It can wait. Come on."
"No." At that moment, Lily lost her balance and fell. James caught her. In his arms.
He helped her make her way up two flights of stairs.
"Hey, Potter, what are you doing with my girl?"
"Your girl?"
"Yeah, my girl."
Huh? Lily opened her half-closed eyes.
"Luke! What are you doing here?" She threw her arms around him.
"See? I'm the only one that can wake her," Luke hissed to James. To Lily, he said, "I go to school here. My mom decided we'd stay here for the rest of the school year."
"Wow," Lily's eyes sparkled.
Sick of this reunion, James spoke up. "Excuse me, but I'm trying to escort Evans to her room."
"And I can do that just as well as you can." Luke glared at James menacingly.
"No, no, Luke. He's the only one that knows the password." Quickly and weakly, Lily explained about the Head Boy/Head Girl situation, and that they were going to the Head Lounge. "I promise I'll be okay." Luke glared threateningly, but stomped off.
As Lily fainted into James' arms again, James whispered the password and hauled the girl into the room.
He laid her on the bed carefully with a sigh. She mumbled something in her half-sleep. To James, it sounded like, "Stay." So he did.
Rested and well, Lily got dressed and went to find her friends. There was no sign of James.
Lily made her way down several sets of stairs, receiving greetings from a few admiring students. It was about two o'clock in the afternoon, so half the school was in class.
As she passed the Great Hall, Lily heard two voices. One was familiar.
"How is she?" Jeff Bradley, a Slytherin, was asking.
"Awesome," Luke replied.
"Man, I still can't believe you're gonna bed the hottest girl in school."
"I know." Luke grinned. "And she doesn't suspect a thing. Lily totally trusts me. It's no wonder I was put in Slytherin. I am totally cunning," he smirked.
Lily, not believing what she was hearing, decided to approach it slowly. She entered the Great Hall.
"Hey Lily," Luke said in his deep, sexy voice. He truly looked like he was genuinely happy to see her. His eyes, though, were ice cold.
"I love you…" he said, starting to kiss her. Lily stepped back.
"Are you mad?" Luke was puzzled. "What's wrong? Hey-" he said with a small-but-friendly grin, "we were just talking about you, weren't we, Jeff? About how great you were, and how-"
"I'd be great in bed, am I right?" Lily said coldly.
Luke looked appalled. "Lily, how could you assume such a thing? I-"
"Assumption is not the case. I heard everything."
"Er, well…" Luke looked at Jeff for help. He offered none.
"Explain," Lily commanded.
"Wha-?"
Lily slapped him hard, with tears in her eyes. "You owe me one, you bastard."
"Well, um… Jeff and I had a bet. He said if I could get you…er, in bed, he'd give me fifty Galleons. If I didn't, I'd give him fifty Galleons."
"Well, I guess you just lost fifty Galleons, didn't you?" Lily said coldly. "How- I can't believe you would-"
Lily burst into tears and ran back to her dormitory where she laid her face on her pillow and cried. On her way out, she heard Jeff Bradley's voice saying, "Forget her, man. There are tons more women in this school, and I'm sure others won't be as snoopy as her."
James went back to the Head Lounge after a day of running on no sleep, exhausted. He took of his Hogwarts robe, where he had jeans and a T-shirt on underneath. He was about to stretch out on his couch, when he realized there was someone already on it.
"Evans! What the hell do you think you're doing in here?!"
Lily slowly opened her eyes and lifted her head. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and there were tear streaks on her cheeks. Her nose was red, too. She looked as miserable as James had ever imagined someone could look.
"Sorry," she managed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I must've not-" she hiccuped- "looked where I was going." She got up to leave. James stopped her.
"No, sit." He pushed her back on the couch, pulled up a chair, and sat in it. He looked genuinely concerned. "What happened?"
Lily explained- with a lot of sobbing- about Luke's scam. James wrapped an arm awkwardly around her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.
There was a sharp rap on the door. Lily jumped up. There was another knock.
"Lily? Lily, its Amanda. Open up quick!"
James evacuated promptly. Lily unlatched the door. Amanda stood there, her cheeks pink, panting heavily from running. She thrust a piece of parchment in Lily's face.
"Read this," she commanded.
Lily sank down on the chair James had previously been occupying.
"Oh, no," she groaned.
Rita Skeeter's Gossip Column
Hogwarts' juicy gossip!
Have you ever wondered what the oddest couple in school would be like? How about Lily Evans and James Potter? Sounds far-fetched, doesn't it? Read on!-
One night last year, while lying in her dormitory, Lily Evans confessed to Amanda Smith that she had a secret passion for one of the school's most-wanted bachelors- James Potter!
"Well… you know how James… well, likes me? Or at least he used to? Well, I hate him. You know that. The whole school knows that. But, um… after… well, I don't know when, actually- sometime this year- I think… Amanda, you have to promise not to tell anyone.
"Well, at some point, I think I might've fallen for him."
Is this really true? Vote yes or no now to Rita Skeeter, Hufflepuff.
It showed a picture of Lily, looking truly beautiful, and one of James, one of the two most handsome males at Hogwarts. Then it showed a picture of Lily and James arguing in the halls.
"I think this was the best sale she ever made," Amanda commented quietly.
"Oh, no," Lily repeated. "How'd this get out? Oh, God."
"How'd what get out?" James asked, returning from his shower. His hair was damp.
"Nothing that concerns you," Lily lied, putting the parchment as far away from James as she could. James, being taller, snatched it quickly. His eyes widened.
"Is this true, Evans?"
"Of course not," Lily snapped. She snatched it back and strode off to her room.
A/N: Thanks all!
I'm starting my sequel to HTS called "Chasing Memory." I've written the first chapter and will upload it ASAP.
Review! If you have questions/comments, please say so in your review and I'll do my best to get back to you.
Also- I'm starting high school, and I have a question: do you guys think 3 Honors classes is too much if you want to be on the soccer team and be in a couple of clubs?
Thanks!
xoxo-
OutofAzkaban
