A/N: I know I promised an update for a week ago, but you know, one thing
just led to another . . . ready for my list of excuses? In the past 2
weeks I reread the entire Harry Potter series (and no where does it say
that James was a chaser, how does everyone know this?), I had at least 3
soccer games and 4 nights worth of practices, I didn't even get home 'till
10:30 or so one night 'cause the game was up at one of the bases. And then
I had that evil pile of homework and projects that those tortuous people
who call themselves teachers assigned me . . . I'm not very good at
excuses, am I? Well, I PROMISE, that the next chapter is coming soon,
because, thanks partly to Penguin'N'Tales, I have an idea and know where
I'm going with it!
Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! Remember, reviews keep me going! Hope you like this chapter!
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James Potter ran a hand through his inky-black hair, sending it into even more disarray than before. He nervously bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for Sirius who was having a word with McGonagall. A flushed Maren had just informed him that Lily was awake and well, recuperating in the hospital wing, and James was anxiously awaiting the chance to speak with his girl friend. It had been nearly three days since their encounter with Snape. His stomach churned with guilt as James thought back to that night, 'It's all my fault,' he thought bitterly. 'If I had just left Snape pinned to the wall, if I hadn't continued to fight, if I'd gone straight to Lily . . .' his throat tightened, 'If I had done more to protect her she wouldn't be in this pain!'
"Er . . . alright there, mate?" Sirius waved a calloused hand before James' hazel eyes.
"Hm? Oh, sorry, what was that?"
"Well, I was thinking we could go up to the Hospital Wing and visit Lils," Sirius said with an air of a teacher patiently talking to a young child, "but if you'd rather stay here and continue your colloquy with the wall . . ."
"Let's go!" James hooked his arm through Sirius', dragging the grinning boy down the hall.
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Lily Evans opened her shining eyes to see an ecstatic Maren Goldberg staring down at her, accompanied by an equally thrilled-looking Remus Lupin. "Hey," she murmured sleepily, staring up at them.
"Hey yourself," Maren grinned, flashing two gleaming rows of pearly white teeth. "How's it going?"
"All right, I guess." Lily shrugged nonchalantly, "Most of the pain has subsided. Madam Pomfrey was able to mend the wounds in about a second."
"You look a lot better than you did three days ago," Maren chirped, "You were a right mess then."
"Three days ago? I've been in here for THREE days?" A panic-stricken expression flitted across Lily's face as Maren bit back her lip.
"Didn't Madam Pomfrey tell you?"
"She hasn't told me anything except that I'm not permitted to leave! She said I'd have to talk to Dumbledore and that he would decide what was right for me to know."
Maren and Remus exchanged anxious glances. "What do you mean 'what was right for you to know'? Don't you remember what happened? Anything?" Maren questioned with the air of someone who was praying that what they thought was wrong.
Lily sullenly shook her head, tousled wisps of hair spilling across her pillow. "I'm seventeen, for the sake of Merlin, don't you think I have a right to know what landed me in here?" she demanded furiously.
"Erm . . ." Maren and Remus exchanged glances once more, searching for an answer within each others' faces.
"You mean you aren't going to tell me?" Lily asked in a menacingly low tone, her voice on the edge of hysteria.
"Hell hath no fury like an angry Lil," a cheeky voice spoke from the doorway. The trio whirled around to find Sirius grinning madly in the doorframe, oblivious to the deadly glares he was receiving from James. "Hullo, Lils, how ya feelin'?"
Despite her mounting anger, Lily had to smile at Sirius' predictable antics. It was somewhat reassuring to know that no matter how much the world changed, Sirius would always be the same. "'lo, Sirius, I'm much better, thanks." The four teens turned their eye expectantly to James who appeared to be at a loss for words. He repeatedly opened and closed his mouth, searching for the right words, but no sound was issued until he received a sharp nudge in the ribs from Sirius. "H-hey Lily," he mumbled softly, "How are you . . . er . . . are you o . . . um, how's it going?" he stumbled over his words and then stood bracingly, as though expecting a harsh rant in response.
"Er . . . hey, James," Lily smiled uncertainly, unsure of why he was acting so strange, so . . . un-James-like.
Sensing the tension in the room, Remus quickly mentioned that he and Maren had been collecting the assignments she'd missed over the past few days. After Lily had goaded Maren into showing her the work (as Remus had hoped she would) Remus quickly dragged James aside.
"Look, Prongs, Lily doesn't remember anything from that night," he started tentatively.
"Not anything?" James gasped, half-horrified, half-relieved.
"Nothing at all, the last thing she remembers is going to Dumbledore's office. She doesn't know what happened with Snape and Madam Pomfrey has forbidden us to tell her unless Dumbledore permits it; she suffered a mild concussion and the added trauma might send her into shock." He paused while James allowed the barrage of information to sink in.
"So, she's not mad?"
"Mad? Confused at your behavior, maybe, and furious at us for not telling her what happened, but that's all. She doesn't blame you in the least for what happened with Snape. Treat her the way she deserves, mate, don't give her any reason to think against you."
James nodded comprehendingly, smiled his thanks to Remus, and then sauntered over to where Lily was moaning over McGonagall's transfiguration essay.
"Oy, Lils," he favored her with a face splitting grin, "it's not that bad, really, I could help you if you like."
Though his typical overly-confident manner was as comforting to Lily as Sirius' teasing had been, Lily couldn't help but wonder at what had brought about the change in James' manner. "Y-you sure you don't mined?" Lily questioned tentatively.
"Aw, Lily," James lowered his voice to a soothing whisper, "You know I'd do anything for you."
"Oy!" Sirius suddenly leapt to his feet, staring avidly at the bare spot on his wrist where a watch ought to have been. "Look at the time! Maren, I only just remembered, that chat with Kelly we fancied? We're going to be late!"
"What chat?" Maren questioned irritably as Sirius hoisted her to her feet, dragging her from the bed where Lily and James sat.
"The chat, about the thing, at the time and place, with the girl and the guy, and the complex plot line," Sirius rambled as he pulled Maren out the door, followed by a beaming Remus. "We'll see you two later!" Sirius waved his hand jubilantly as he shoved the protesting Maren out of the wing.
Lily's eyebrows disappeared under her tangled hair as she and James exchanged amused glances before falling into peals of laughter. "Did you see him," she gasped between bouts of giggles, "checking a watch that wasn't there?"
"Well," James smiled, the first to recover from the giggling fit, "I have to admit, subtlety isn't really his thing." As he watched Lily slowly regaining her breath, James' heart swelled with avid admiration for Lily. She'd been through a terrible ordeal, one many people would love to forget, and all she wanted was to remember it. Her eager persistence reminded James of why he had fallen in love with her in the first place. "Hey, Lily?" He spoke quietly, surprised by the sudden shyness that seemed to have fallen over him.
"Yes, James?" Her emerald eyes turned their questioning light on him.
"Well, erm, I was wondering if maybe, if it was alright with your folks, you'd like to spend Easter vacation with me?" He braced himself for rejection, trying to squelch the feeling of hope that was rapidly burgeoning within him.
Lily looked at him appraisingly, her gleaming eyes filled with glee, "I'd love to."
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Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! Remember, reviews keep me going! Hope you like this chapter!
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James Potter ran a hand through his inky-black hair, sending it into even more disarray than before. He nervously bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for Sirius who was having a word with McGonagall. A flushed Maren had just informed him that Lily was awake and well, recuperating in the hospital wing, and James was anxiously awaiting the chance to speak with his girl friend. It had been nearly three days since their encounter with Snape. His stomach churned with guilt as James thought back to that night, 'It's all my fault,' he thought bitterly. 'If I had just left Snape pinned to the wall, if I hadn't continued to fight, if I'd gone straight to Lily . . .' his throat tightened, 'If I had done more to protect her she wouldn't be in this pain!'
"Er . . . alright there, mate?" Sirius waved a calloused hand before James' hazel eyes.
"Hm? Oh, sorry, what was that?"
"Well, I was thinking we could go up to the Hospital Wing and visit Lils," Sirius said with an air of a teacher patiently talking to a young child, "but if you'd rather stay here and continue your colloquy with the wall . . ."
"Let's go!" James hooked his arm through Sirius', dragging the grinning boy down the hall.
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Lily Evans opened her shining eyes to see an ecstatic Maren Goldberg staring down at her, accompanied by an equally thrilled-looking Remus Lupin. "Hey," she murmured sleepily, staring up at them.
"Hey yourself," Maren grinned, flashing two gleaming rows of pearly white teeth. "How's it going?"
"All right, I guess." Lily shrugged nonchalantly, "Most of the pain has subsided. Madam Pomfrey was able to mend the wounds in about a second."
"You look a lot better than you did three days ago," Maren chirped, "You were a right mess then."
"Three days ago? I've been in here for THREE days?" A panic-stricken expression flitted across Lily's face as Maren bit back her lip.
"Didn't Madam Pomfrey tell you?"
"She hasn't told me anything except that I'm not permitted to leave! She said I'd have to talk to Dumbledore and that he would decide what was right for me to know."
Maren and Remus exchanged anxious glances. "What do you mean 'what was right for you to know'? Don't you remember what happened? Anything?" Maren questioned with the air of someone who was praying that what they thought was wrong.
Lily sullenly shook her head, tousled wisps of hair spilling across her pillow. "I'm seventeen, for the sake of Merlin, don't you think I have a right to know what landed me in here?" she demanded furiously.
"Erm . . ." Maren and Remus exchanged glances once more, searching for an answer within each others' faces.
"You mean you aren't going to tell me?" Lily asked in a menacingly low tone, her voice on the edge of hysteria.
"Hell hath no fury like an angry Lil," a cheeky voice spoke from the doorway. The trio whirled around to find Sirius grinning madly in the doorframe, oblivious to the deadly glares he was receiving from James. "Hullo, Lils, how ya feelin'?"
Despite her mounting anger, Lily had to smile at Sirius' predictable antics. It was somewhat reassuring to know that no matter how much the world changed, Sirius would always be the same. "'lo, Sirius, I'm much better, thanks." The four teens turned their eye expectantly to James who appeared to be at a loss for words. He repeatedly opened and closed his mouth, searching for the right words, but no sound was issued until he received a sharp nudge in the ribs from Sirius. "H-hey Lily," he mumbled softly, "How are you . . . er . . . are you o . . . um, how's it going?" he stumbled over his words and then stood bracingly, as though expecting a harsh rant in response.
"Er . . . hey, James," Lily smiled uncertainly, unsure of why he was acting so strange, so . . . un-James-like.
Sensing the tension in the room, Remus quickly mentioned that he and Maren had been collecting the assignments she'd missed over the past few days. After Lily had goaded Maren into showing her the work (as Remus had hoped she would) Remus quickly dragged James aside.
"Look, Prongs, Lily doesn't remember anything from that night," he started tentatively.
"Not anything?" James gasped, half-horrified, half-relieved.
"Nothing at all, the last thing she remembers is going to Dumbledore's office. She doesn't know what happened with Snape and Madam Pomfrey has forbidden us to tell her unless Dumbledore permits it; she suffered a mild concussion and the added trauma might send her into shock." He paused while James allowed the barrage of information to sink in.
"So, she's not mad?"
"Mad? Confused at your behavior, maybe, and furious at us for not telling her what happened, but that's all. She doesn't blame you in the least for what happened with Snape. Treat her the way she deserves, mate, don't give her any reason to think against you."
James nodded comprehendingly, smiled his thanks to Remus, and then sauntered over to where Lily was moaning over McGonagall's transfiguration essay.
"Oy, Lils," he favored her with a face splitting grin, "it's not that bad, really, I could help you if you like."
Though his typical overly-confident manner was as comforting to Lily as Sirius' teasing had been, Lily couldn't help but wonder at what had brought about the change in James' manner. "Y-you sure you don't mined?" Lily questioned tentatively.
"Aw, Lily," James lowered his voice to a soothing whisper, "You know I'd do anything for you."
"Oy!" Sirius suddenly leapt to his feet, staring avidly at the bare spot on his wrist where a watch ought to have been. "Look at the time! Maren, I only just remembered, that chat with Kelly we fancied? We're going to be late!"
"What chat?" Maren questioned irritably as Sirius hoisted her to her feet, dragging her from the bed where Lily and James sat.
"The chat, about the thing, at the time and place, with the girl and the guy, and the complex plot line," Sirius rambled as he pulled Maren out the door, followed by a beaming Remus. "We'll see you two later!" Sirius waved his hand jubilantly as he shoved the protesting Maren out of the wing.
Lily's eyebrows disappeared under her tangled hair as she and James exchanged amused glances before falling into peals of laughter. "Did you see him," she gasped between bouts of giggles, "checking a watch that wasn't there?"
"Well," James smiled, the first to recover from the giggling fit, "I have to admit, subtlety isn't really his thing." As he watched Lily slowly regaining her breath, James' heart swelled with avid admiration for Lily. She'd been through a terrible ordeal, one many people would love to forget, and all she wanted was to remember it. Her eager persistence reminded James of why he had fallen in love with her in the first place. "Hey, Lily?" He spoke quietly, surprised by the sudden shyness that seemed to have fallen over him.
"Yes, James?" Her emerald eyes turned their questioning light on him.
"Well, erm, I was wondering if maybe, if it was alright with your folks, you'd like to spend Easter vacation with me?" He braced himself for rejection, trying to squelch the feeling of hope that was rapidly burgeoning within him.
Lily looked at him appraisingly, her gleaming eyes filled with glee, "I'd love to."
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