Chapter Six: Revelations
In the next week, Hogwarts had noticed quite a change in some of the seventh year Gryffindors. The Marauders relationship seemed strained, and over what no one could figure.
James refused to be anywhere near Sirius, no matter what Sirius did to please him. Remus and Peter were left with trying to figure out what to do to fix the strained ties, and who to sit with at meals, because James would sit on the opposite end of the table, chatting with whoever would be sitting there, as long as Sirius wasn't one of the students sitting down with him.
Lily's friends had noticed a change in Lily as well. Where as the rest of the school saw it as no big deal as Lily being cold to James Potter, Allison and Ellie were worried, the relationship between Lily and James had been improving, and now it was like the end of sixth year.
"Lily, what happened?" tried Allison, for what seemed the millionth time that week.
"Nothing 'happened'. Potter was just being himself again." replied Lily, as she lounged in the Gryffindor common room, in the company of Allison, Ellie, and a few other Gryffindors.
Ellie and Allison exchanged a look. James being himself was never good.
"What did he do?" tried Ellie.
"He was just being himself, that's it!" retorted Lily, pulling herself off the couch. "I have to go get some of my things from my room before the meeting with McGonagall."
Allison and Ellie nodded. "Alright."
Lily turned to leave, just as Remus and Peter entered the common room.
She pushed through the two and continued along her way.
Ellie eyed Remus. "Remus can we ask you something?"
A faint blush crossed Remus's face, he had been finding himself more and more attracted to Ellie in the past few weeks, and couldn't help but do anything she asked.
"Sure."
"What happened between Lily and James and Sirius?"
Remus let out a sigh and rubbed his neck with his hand. He took a seat next to Ellie on the couch.
"Last week, Sirius decided to start something with Snape."
Ellie and Allison nodded. This would explain everything.
Lily gathered her notebook with her notes that she had made with James regarding their head duties. When she walked through the common room she shared with James, she noticed James lying on the couch.
"Aren't you coming to the meeting?" asked Lily in a cold voice.
James sat up and raised an eyebrow. "I was going to spend my time packing, actually." James stared at her expressionlessly, and lay back down. "Anyways, we don't have to be down there for another fifteen minutes."
Lily scoffed. Truthfully, she wasn't planning on reporting him just yet, the idea of sharing living quarters with Snape made her sick. But she didn't want to make him think that she was going to let things slide, either.
"Whatever, Potter."
James sat up. "You know, you never do listen."
"And either do you." retorted Lily. "You don't pay attention to anyone's needs but yours!"
"That's not true, and you know it!" argued James, standing up to face her.
Lily rolled her eyes. "I don't have time for this."
James looked into her eyes and blocked her from leaving. "You are going to hear me out. You are going to listen before you go fibbing to McGonagall."
Lily huffed. "Reporting you abusing your powers would not be fibbing!"
"I was not abusing my powers! I was trying to stop Sirius from hexing Snape!" retorted James. He let out a breath and threw up his hands. "You know what Evans. If you aren't going to believe me, you're not going to believe me. I give up. See you in McGonagall's office."
James exited, and left Lily to follow behind him.
"We still don't have to be there for another ten minutes." mumbled Lily.
"Talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity." replied a portrait of an old woman knitting.
Lily glared at the painting before following James to McGonagall's office.
"Good evening. Mr. Potter, Ms. Evans." greeted Professor McGonagall from her chair behind her oak desk. "Please take a seat." She motioned to the chairs which they were standing beside.
James pulled out a chair for Lily and motioned for her to sit down. Lily obliged with a quick glare at James, who had taken the seat beside her.
McGonagall waited for them to situate themselves.
"How has your first three weeks been?" she asked, poised.
"It's been great, Professor." replied Lily. James nodded in agreement. "No problems."
Professor McGonagall smiled. "Good. Have you scheduled everything?"
Lily nodded while she pulled out the plans she and James had made. "We have a masquerade ball planned for Halloween, a costume contest will be involved with that." Lily found another piece of parchment and handed it to McGonagall. "And that's the Hogsmeade dates till Christmas."
Professor McGonagall nodded. "Alright, it looked like you have everything in order." She took her long, fine fingers and shuffled the stack of parchment. "What about your patrol schedule?"
Lily's expression…the mouth agape, eyes wide…showed she had completely forgotten about the schedule. "Patrol schedule, professor?"
Professor McGonagall nodded diligently. "Yes, do you have it? Patrol shifts start this week. The professors always take the first few weeks, it lets the students get settled, but you knew that Ms. Evans."
Lily did indeed know that prefects began patrolling the last week of September, she had been prefect for two years. She had completely forgotten about actually making the schedule.
"Ms. Evans?" asked McGonagall. "Do you have the schedule?"
Lily was almost at tears. How could she have forgotten? She had messed up her first meeting as Head with her Head of House. What if they took her badge?
She heard a throat clear beside her.
"Professor, I believe the schedule you ask for is with me, I forgot Lily had given it to me to review."
McGonagall took the schedule and looked it over before handing it back to James. "It looks good, nice work."
Lily tried to catch James's eye. He was avoiding her.
James pushed the papers back at McGonagall. "No Professor, that is your copy, I took the liberty of making copies for Evans and myself. We will pass them out at the prefect meeting."
Professor McGonagall smiled curtly at James. "Thank you, Mr. Potter, Ms. Evans. Now, I believe that is all I have to discuss with you. Remember to meet with the prefects this week to give them the orders for Halloween and Hogsmeade. So unless you have anything to add or comment on, feel free to leave."
James nodded and stood up to leave. "Good night, Professor."
Lily stood as well and smiled apologetically at the Deputy Headmistress. "Thank you, Professor. Have a good night!"
McGonagall smiled at the two. "Good night."
Once outside, Lily pulled James aside by grabbing his hand, as he had started walking at a fast pace as soon as they were out the door, and Lily knew she couldn't keep up with his long legs.
"What is it?" asked James.
"Don't play dumb with me." snapped Lily. "Where did you get that schedule from?"
James sighed and folded his arms. "I made it."
"And you didn't tell me!" huffed Lily. "Are you trying to make me look bad?"
James gave her a penetrating look. "I think you're doing that plenty on your own."
Lily was about to remark when she took a deep breath. "Ok, James. I'm sorry. When did you make it?" Her eyes were closed and she spoke in an even tone, trying very hard not to get even more upset with herself or James.
James studied her for a moment. "Before you snapped at me-- the first time. I had just finished."
Lily nodded. "I'm sorry for snapping at you." she took a breath. "Could I have a copy of the schedule?"
James forced the schedule into her hand. "You aren't sorry for snapping at me. You're sorry you forgot to do the schedule, and you're even sorrier I remembered." His voice ached with hurt, bitterness, and resentment. He turned on his heel to leave. Lily felt stung.
How had things gotten this bad between them? This was worse than last year, because last year it was Lily being cold and James showering affection. Now they were both as cold as ice.
If James could have just refrained from being a bullying prat, he just might be a friend. Thought Lily. But he couldn't. He just had to pick fights with Snape. Why did he have to be such a prat?
As she reached the portrait hole that would let her into the Heads common room, she spotted Sirius Black pacing outside the entry. It didn't surprise her that he knew the location of the hidden quarters, it surprised her that he didn't know the password, and that James hadn't let him in.
"Black, what are you doing?" asked Lily, in a tone harsher than she intended.
Sirius looked up her in distaste. "This is all your fault, Evans." he spat.
Lily looked him in the eyes. "What do you mean, 'all my fault'!"
Sirius glared at her. "If you would just watch your temper and quit assuming things, this wouldn't be happening!" He spat. He looked at her with pure hatred.
"What wouldn't be happening, Black?" Lily narrowed her eyes. "Me hating Potter?"
Sirius let out a barking laughter. "You don't hate him, Evans. You love him." he looked Lily in the eyes. "Forget it. Just get James out here."
"I'm not talking to him at the moment." replied Lily shrewdly, trying to take in Sirius's last comment. She didn't love James Potter. She didn't hate him either, but love? No.
Sirius balled up his fist and punched air. "Damn it, Lily! Just get over it and tell him to bloody get out here before I go in there and beat the bloody pulp out of you and him!"
Lily shot a glare at Sirius before muttering the password and walking into the common room. James was not there.
"Darn it." Lily muttered while looking back at the portrait hole and then to James's door. She sucked in a breath and went to knock.
She knocked three times and no response from James.
Taking a deep breath, she pounded on the door. "James!"
She heard him groan and shuffle around his room before the door swung open.
"What is it?" he asked, not looking her in the eyes.
"Sirius is outside, he wants to talk to you." she stated. "He says he'll come in here himself if you don't."
James let out a breath. "Fine."
Lily nodded and James brushed past her to go talk to Sirius.
She took this opportunity to glance in his room. It was fairly messy, like any teenage boy's room, and array of junk scattered on the floor. She started to venture inside when she heard shouts. Startled, she jumped back and hurried toward the portrait hole, where the shouts got louder.
James and Sirius.
"Bloody hell, Prongs, forgive me already!" yelled Sirius.
"This isn't about forgiving you for ruining any hopes of friendship with Lily, Padfoot!" shouted back James.
Lily sucked in a breath. Was this about her?
"Oh really, Prongs. Then enlighten me. What is it about?" retorted Sirius sarcastically.
She could hear James slam his fist on the wall beside him. "Damn it, it's about you never listening! It's about how you only care about yourself! Why did you mess with him, Padfoot? I told you not to!"
"You know that's not true!" replied Sirius, coldly. "You're starting to sound just like her."
She heard James give out a long sigh. "You never respect any rules."
"Oh and you're one to lecture me about rules, James? I suppose that's alright for you, now that you're Head Boy. Everything your parents want now, aren't you!"
"Shut up! You know I didn't want this position, and I bloody don't give a shit about what my parents want from me!" yelled James. "I know I was a prat! I know I broke rules, it isn't about that! It's about drawing a line! It's about growing up a little!" James pounded the wall again, and he spoke, loudly, but in a calm tone. "I'm sorry, Padfoot. I didn't mean to, to…appear so prude. But you have to understand." James's voice was pleading. "We need to draw a line. When it comes to Snape we can't just hex him anymore! You know why!" exclaimed James desperately.
"I'm sorry for starting something with him." started Sirius, his voice equally pleading. "But you know why I feel the need to hex him."
"Other than the fact that he's greasy git." James gave a weak laugh that Lily could barely hear.
"Yes, other than the obvious." replied Sirius, his voice back to normal, a joking tone in it. "I'm sorry Prongs. But despite what you say, I still think most of your anger is because of what Lily now thinks of you."
"How can it not be?" retorted James.
"Why don't you explain it to her?" asked Sirius.
"She doesn't listen."
"Make her listen." replied Sirius.
"No, if she wants to know, she'll have to listen willingly. I'm not proving myself to her anymore."
Both of their voices quieted down, and Lily could only assume they either had started to whisper or had gone off on some expedition.
She tried to take in all of the conversation. So this was about her. About last week when she told off James? She sighed. She might have been wrong, but it sure looked like James was starting something. He had Snape's wand.
Lily decided to ask James as soon as he got back, so she placed herself delicately on the sofa and waited.
passionflower24- thanks for the review! I was trying to write Lily as completely standoffish when it came to James. Maybe I overdid it. Don't worry—she becomes sweeter soon, promise.
KatrinaRayne- thanks very very much for the review, keep reading!
jess squared- i'm sorry about you're cat. I've had my calico for eight years, I don't know what I'd do if I lost her. Anyways, thanks for the review!
chikichiki- once again, thanks for reviewing!
Please read and review everyone! Thanks.