A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm getting more and more every time I update! I'm so sorry for such a long wait! I had to go on vacation, I had a tiny writer's block and everything! Plus school kept me busy for quite a while. So, here it is, hope you enjoy it!
And, as I promised, here are the names of the people who got the riddle right!
Bibliophile
ringurl107
Lily-Potter8
All of you give yourself a pat on the back!
Lily was getting ready for bed with a flair, something she had never done before. She had a feeling something exciting was waiting for her. But little did she know about the giant chain of events that were about to unfold.
When she was done, she practically jumped into bed, and almost immediately rolled off again, for she had sat on a prettily embellished letter. Carefully, as if it would break if she didn't, she opened the letter.
Dear Lily,
Hello. Do you remember me?
I'm you're secret admirer. I hope you had fun guessing, as I am about to reveal who I am.
I'm Alex Pullman, your fellow classmate and housemate.
I know this is kind of sudden, but will you go to the ball with me? I would like to get to know you better.
Love,
Alex
Lily dropped the letter in surprise. Alex is my secret admirer?
Then she smiled. Alex is a nice guy. Perhaps I will go to the ball with him.
Dear Alex,
What a lovely surprise! I had no idea you were my secret admirer. Of course I'll go to the ball with you.
See you later,
Lily
She finished the letter, and tied it to her golden owl, Sunlight, and sent her off.
She then lay down on her bed and went to sleep.
The very early the next morning, James crept silently into Lily's room and woke her up with a prod.
"James? What are you doing here so early?" she glanced at the clock. "It's four o' clock in the morning!"
"I want to ask you something."
"Can't it wait till breakfast? I'm an early riser, but not this early!"
"Well, it can, but I don't want it to."
"Fine, what is it?"
"Will you go to the ball with me?"
"I'm sorry James, but I'm already going with someone else."
"No that's ok, I just thought I'd ask."
Lily looked truly sorry.
"Well, I'll be going now."
And he turned and left the room, leaving Lily to finish her sleep.
Three hours later, Lily ran down to breakfast and sat down at the end of the Gryffindor table, right next to her friends.
"You'll never guess what happened!" she gasped at Krystal and Angel.
"What?" they chorused.
"Alex Pullman asked me out to the ball!"
"Really?" said Angel, "I thought James would."
"Well, he did, but Alex asked me first."
"That really stinks. We were just talking about whether or not James would be a good match for you."
"And you decided?"
"That you two are a good match."
The twins giggled, knowing Lily obviously did not think the same as them, but to their surprise, she did not retort. She merely glared at them, and then smiled.
"Sure guys, whatever you say," she rolled her eyes.
And the trio dug in to their breakfast.
Meanwhile, unknown to Lily, Krystal, and Angel, Alex was gloating over the fact that he was going to the ball with Lily halfway down the table, when James came down to eat breakfast. As Lily had just turned him down a few hours ago, he was rather downhearted.
But then again, he thought to himself, she did look rather sorry.
This cheered him up a little. That is, until he walked passed where Alex was sitting, bragging over his triumph.
"And so, I asked her out to the ball, and she agreed! I mean, really, a girl like Lily actually believing..."
So he's the one taking Lily to the ball, he thought, gritting his teeth.
It seems Alex saw him, for he said,
"Hey James! What's the matter, the girl you asked to the ball wouldn't go with you?"
James had to endure this horrible taunting all day, only managing to keep his temper by telling himself over and over again that he was going to talk to Lily later, alone, in the Head's Dorms.
He walked into the Head's Dorm ("Tinsel strands!"), sat down at the table, and began his many essays.
Thirty minutes later, Lily walked into the room with a dreamy expression on her face.
"Hi Lily," said James the moment he saw her, "what happened?"
"Oh, the most wonderful thing just happened to me! Alex asked me out on a date, tonight!"
No, that's probably the worst thing that can happen!
"Look, Lily, we need to talk."
"About what?"
"About Alex."
And he dragged her off to the Enchanted Room.
I need a dimly lit, soundproof room where we can talk without being overheard.
Instantly, the room turned into a comfortable seating area, lit dimly by a blazing fire. There was a sofa that seated two in the middle, and in front of it, a table with drinks on it.
They sat down, Lily looking very confused on the matter.
"Lily," James began, "why in the name of Merlin's beard did you agree to go with Alex to the ball?"
"Well," said Lily, taking a glass off the table, " at the beginning of the school year, I received a letter from a secret admirer. It turns out that Alex was my secret admirer. So, he asked me to the ball, and I thought, 'Sure, he's a nice guy and all,' so I accepted."
"Lily, when we were in first year, Alex and I had a, er, disagreement. I was doing better in class than him, and he got jealous. He started calling me extremely inappropriate names and I hexed him. We were enemies ever since."
Lily took a sip of her drink.
James plunged on with his story.
"Well, ever since that day, he tried to get the things I wanted, just to spite me. He bought the best brooms, even thought he doesn't like quidditch, he hosted parties and invited all my friends, but not me, though, they never went. He even tried to get the teachers to favor him more than me."
"So, what you're trying to say is?"
"Lily, you're a brilliant girl, think. Isn't it possible that the notes were written by two different people?"
"So, you're saying that Alex only heard about the first note, and decided to intervene by saying he was the admirer? That is crazy! How do I know that you're not lying?"
"How do you know I am?"
"Because Alex is a really nice guy, and he would never lie to me!"
James sighed. "Think what you like. But, do me one favor, before you go on your date, look into his eyes. You'll know why when you do it," he added after a questioning look from Lily.
And with that, he kissed her lightly on the lips and ran off through the door, leaving her to get ready for her date before she could do anything.
Lily sighed, and started getting ready.
At precisely 7:53, Lily hurried toward the statue of Sir Ninterale, where Alex had told her to meet him. She was dressed in a simple dress with her hair in a bun and her robe pulled over to keep her warm.
When she got to the statue, she found Alex already there, waiting for her. He was dressed handsomely in a collared shirt and black pants. And as she was saying hello, she did as James told, and looked into his eyes.
I have hazel eyes... The letter! That was one of the clues. But, Alex has blue eyes... James was right; Alex was lying!
"Alex?" she said sweetly.
"Yes, Lily dear?"
"This date is cancelled!"
And Lily turned around and ran off. Alex stood there, dumbstruck for a moment, and then ran after her, hoping to convince her otherwise.
James threw off his invisibility cloak with a grin on his face, and took out a certain piece of parchment. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." And upon scanning the piece of parchment, which had now turned into a map, he saw something that made him grin so hard his cheeks hurt.
Lily was safe and sound in the Heads Dorm, while Alex was pounding the wall in fury, for the portrait would not let him in.
So, she figured out the first part of my cryptic talk. Now, if only she could figure out the other half...
A/N: I have a couple more goodies for you! Yay! Request a chapter, and a challenge!
Request a Chapter
Request a chapter you would like to see in the story, and I'll pick the best one to put into the story. Put it in your review!
Challenge
Can you figure out the other half of the message James gave in his talk? Try to beat Lily!
And please visit my homepage! The link is on my profile. Review, review, review! It will make the next chapter come faster!