A/N: Another update! Three cheers for me! rah rah! woo! Okay…well here's another chapter. read. review. I'll just be by my computer, writing, trying to appease the masses as I write the last stretch of this story you all seem to love so much.
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Snape's Grudge and Talks of the Future
Lily took a seat at the empty library table in the quite vacant library, no normal Hogwarts student usually spent their Friday evenings in the library, after all. She was waiting for Snape, they were going to finish their report that was due Monday. Lily checked her white-gold watch at the time. Snape was running five minutes late. She let out a breath and impatiently tapped he quill on the hard oak desk.
After another five minutes of waiting, Snape came trudging in, completely soaked and looking exceptionally glum.
Lily raised an eyebrow in question, but with the look Snape gave her –one of pure, cold, hatred — made her forget anything, she had to comment and she opened her book.
"Alright, we just have a conclusion to finish with. It has to be about five inches." Lily stated, determined not to look up at Snape.
He must have agreed, because he pulled out their report and handed it to Lily.
"You better write I might get it wet."
Lily looked up at him and took the report, and before she could stop herself, she opened her mouth to speak.
"Why are you so drenched?" she asked in a quiet, concerned tone.
Snape's lips curled unpleasantly. "Just a few of the younger students thinking it was funny to send cold water spells to my back."
Lily frowned. "They shouldn't be doing that. You are prefect. You should report it, take a few points."
"I do." Snape replied coldly.
"Well alright, I'll talk it over with James and see what we can do about it. We'll talk to McGonagall or something." Lily remarked as she began to write.
"No!" Snape snapped with such determination that it scared Lily into dropping her quill.
Lily stared at him. "Don't be silly, James will help you. He's not like he used to be."
Snape's lips frowned and his eyes gave the most penetrating, menacing look Lily had ever seen.
"It's the Marauders fault everyone does this to me. People would have never known I existed if it wasn't for them, and I could have been happy."
Lily looked down at her paper as her stomach clenched horribly. She knew it was to some extent, true. If James and Sirius had left him alone in the beginning people would have just ignored him.
However, she loved James, and it wasn't fair to blame everything on him.
"I think you are right to a degree. James and Sirius should have left you alone. But others could have still made fun of you. They were just the most bold about it. And you have to look past that now, your life doesn't improve by holding a grudge. James has changed." she defended, looking at Snape directly with her burning green eyes.
Snape glared at her and looked back at his work. "Let's get this done; I have better things to do."
It took all of Lily's will to restrain from saying something along the lines of "I wouldn't want to keep you from your Death Eater meeting." She just nodded and continued to work.
"I fully empathize with Sirius walking out on his lessons." Lily stated early Saturday morning in the Head's common room before their extra curricular lesson. "Snape is miserable. He's so awful that I feel sorry for him."
James laughed. Lily had told him of the conversation she and Snape had the previous day. "Just ignore him, Lily."
Lily huffed as she put on her shoes and began to head out the door. "I'll try. Let's go."
"Ms. Evans, I'm going to miss our meetings." Professor Flitwick stated as Lily was settled in his classroom.
Lily smiled at him. "I am going to, too. I'm not looking forward to working with Professor McGonagall, but don't tell her I said that."
Professor Flitwick smiled and nodded. "It won't be too bad, Ms. Evans, you are a bright and capable student, it might take a bit more concentration, but you will succeed."
"Thank you for believing in me." Lily replied in a kind, grateful tone.
"Tosh, it's harder not believing in a student like you. Before you leave I have some applications for positions open in the Ministry, diplomatic work and such."
Lily's stomach did a peculiar lurch, one that usually came when talking about life after Hogwarts, the anxiety and excitement that came in the anticipation of independence.
"Thank you, Professor. I'll be sure to look them over and apply."
Professor Flitwick grinned happily. "You're very welcome. Now let us do a big review. Show me what you got!"
Lily laughed and prepared herself for the last time she'd use her eyes for Charms in a while.
"Mr. Potter, you have an hour for you examination." stated Professor McGonagall after James had taken his seat. "I need to see that you know what your skill is, what it does, the dangers, the benefits, and how well you can use it in Transfiguration. If your results are fitting, I'll hand you over to Professor Latham."
James nodded. "But what if I fail just to stay with you, Professor?" he asked grinning.
Professor McGonagall shook her head. "You'll pass."
James smiled and then began the written part of the examination.
James finished the exam in forty minutes, if he did say so himself, he did fairly remarkable, at least Professor McGonagall seemed pleased with him.
"I'll let you go in a minute." she stated as she put his papers together with her hands. She laid the papers down and searched for something on her desk, and then held it up for James to see.
"This is the Auror Academy application. It's due to me the thirty-first, so that gives you roughly two weeks. You need two recommendations, I'll be happy to give you one."
James nodded and took it. "Could I get another one, please?"
Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrow. "Is Ms. Evans interested in the Auror field as well?"
James shook his head. "No, she's into more diplomatic work, this is for Sirius."
Professor McGonagall nodded. "If Mr. Black buckles down, he could be exceptional, please tell him I'd be happy to write a recommendation for him as well."
James smiled as she handed him another application. "Thank you, Professor. For your time and patience, it really was a pleasure."
Professor McGonagall nodded. "I'll see you Monday morning, Mr. Potter. Have a good weekend."
"You too." James replied, beaming before he left the room.
Professor McGonagall watched him closely as he left, she had to admit she was surprised; James Potter had really grown up.
"What are you doing?" Lily asked the following evening as she took a seat on the sofa in the Head's common room, she pulled out a pad of parchment and a quill and ink and began to write.
"Beginning to fill out this Auror Academy application…it's real tedious. Good thing I got it in a few weeks advance." James replied looking up at Lily, who was smiling at him.
"I'm glad you're doing that." she commented. "It's really good to have some sort of future planned out."
James nodded. "What are you writing?"
Lily looked down at her parchment. "I'm writing up a study schedule for NEWTs."
James raised an eyebrow. "NEWTS aren't for a good two months at least."
Lily shook her head. "I know, but this is the biggest test we'll ever have…it determines the jobs we can get. I mean, even after they get your application, the Auror Academy won't officially accept you till they see your scores. It can't hurt to get a head start. I'll make you one too."
James was about to object, but with the look Lily was giving him he couldn't. He would study if it meant he could spend more time with her, it is not like he didn't need the high marks, after all.
"Alright, but remember Quidditch. We're playing Slytherin for the House Cup in the first week of May, so we'll have a lot of practicing to do."
Lily nodded. "Of course."
"Lily, I have a question." James started, now that he had taken a break from his application he might as well ask what had been on his mind for the past couple of days.
"Yes?" Lily replied as she scrawled out a schedule while looking at a calendar.
"What are you doing for Easter Holidays?" he asked.
Lily gazed at her April calendar. "Petunia's wedding is the Saturday at the end of the holiday, so I have to go to that, why?"
James shuffled in his seat. "Well, I was wondering if for the first part of the week you could maybe stay with me and my family?"
Lily grinned. "Sure, I'll have to ask my parents, but I think that will be fine."
James smiled. "Good, I know my parents are excited about meeting you."
Lily nodded, trying to ignore the intense nervousness that had suddenly swept over her. Meeting James's parents? She was going to need to prepare herself for it that was for sure.
"Sirius will probably come and stay with me for that week, too." James commented. "My parents will love you, Lily."
Lily smiled, James seemed to always be able to tell when she needed to be reassured, even when she didn't say anything.
"Maybe you can meet mine at the end of the week?" Lily suddenly asked. "I'm sure I'll need a date to bring to the wedding, so you could come to that."
James nodded, beaming. "I suppose it's only fair."
"Darn straight it is." Lily replied, grinning, she leaned in and gave James a soft kiss.
"Don't I get a 'don't worry, my parents will love you' too?" James asked when they broke apart.
Lily grinned. "My mom will love you, I'm sure. My dad…I suppose he'll be alright…he may be a bit tough in the beginning, but at least you're likable, Vernon, however…"
"Petunia's fiancé?" James asked.
"Yes, Vernon Dursley…he's so…pompous and he has absolutely no personality…It took my dad a while to really warm up to him, but he likes him now, because he knows he's good for Petunia."
James nodded. "I'm glad I'm likable then."
Lily laughed. "Now that I think about it, I wonder if Petunia has mentioned that I'm a witch yet." She reached for a clean sheet of parchment. "I think I'll write her now."
"I sure hope Vernon isn't too upset about it…I mean, if it's genetics, his kid could be a wizard." James replied.
Lily laughed and shook her head. "No kid from those two could have magical abilities, and if they did manage to produce a magical child, he'd be given up for adoption the second he did anything funny."
"That's horrible." James stated. "I couldn't even give up a child for adoption…even if they turned out to be like…Snivellus."
James cringed, just the thought of his child coming out anything like Snape made his stomach hurt. Lily smiled, it was nice to know that James had that kind of fatherly love in him.
"Well that's Vernon and Petunia for you." Lily replied, her eyes suddenly brightened. "Maybe if she tells him I can get uninvited to the wedding!"
James laughed. "You're horrible."
Lily stuck out her tongue at him. "Don't tell me you were actually looking forward to going to it."
"Actually, I was. I wanted to give them hell." James replied. "And I want to try a Muggle suit on, they always looked so cool. Like James Bond!"
Lily giggled. "How do you know James Bond?"
"He's just so cool. Everyone should know about James Bond." James wiggled his eyebrows. "Maybe I'll change my last name to Bond."
"Just to let you know." Lily stated. "If you do, you can forget about ever marrying me. I refuse to be Lily Bond."
James smiled a bright, wide smile. Lily was actually talking about marrying him, granted in a completely playful sense, but nevertheless, it was thrilling to see the one you love and dream of marrying conceive the thought, and appear to like it.
"We'll just take your last name then." James replied.
Lily laughed. "James Evans sounds about as good as Lily Bond."
"Then there's always Lily Evans-Bond, or James Bond-Evans." James suggested, laughing.
A smile spread across Lily's full, red lips. "How about you just stick with Potter, and then I can think about marrying you someday without having to worry about an appalling last name."
"Deal, but that means you have to think about marrying me someday." James replied in a teasing voice, and for a final touch, sticking his tongue out.
"I'll try not to have nightmares." Lily retorted playfully.
James pouted. "I'd be a great husband, you know."
Lily laughed. "I'm sure you would be, James Evans."
"You'd be a great wife." James stated, in a serious tone despite his smile.
Lily grinned. "I haven't even mastered household spells yet. I'm going to have to do everything Muggle for the longest time."
"I'm sure you'll catch on quick enough." James replied, laughing. "And I know how to make pancakes."
"A chef!" Lily exclaimed, happily. "I'm impressed, Mr. Evans."
"But that's the only thing I can make, Mrs. Potter." James replied, smiling as he leant in for a passionate kiss that Lily responded with fully and deepened the kiss, she let James's hands move along her sides and down her lower back before they broke away, grinning like fools.
Thanks to May Olivia, Saltaire3, X.Little.Black.Cat.X, MistressBill, 2005girl, chikichiki, and –Lily Evans 4 Life- for being utterly superb readers and reviewing!
hpgirl7777: (counting on fingers from the plots laid out in my head)…I think ten to eleven more chapters is a good guess. I have four written already, so I'll probably post tomorrow morning and then continue to write. Thank God, I'm a bum with no life.
hcgolfinfool: alright then, beta away. I've never done this sort of thing again…so I don't really know how to let you beta…but you can email me if you'd like at leahUNDERSCORElizUNDERSCOREwil at hotmaildotcom. . you could im me on aim if it was easier too, clumsylw6. Anyone else that's reading this, feel free to im me with questions if you like, but I'm not sure I could answer them.(Sorry, fanfic erases real underscores and the at symbol, so just replace them.)