Chapter 3, Very Hard Apologies
James was walking down to the History of Magic when he heard someone calling his name "James! Hey JAMES! Wait a sec," he turned around to see Catherine running towards him.
"Yeah, what do you want?" he asked.
"Lily wanted me to tell you to stop by the infirmary because she wants to tell you something," she lied.
Sirius, who just caught up with James, had a very bewildered look on his face. "Hey James, we better go we're gonna be late for class. Hello Catherine."
"In a minute Sirius," said James, "You were saying…."
"You should stop by the infirmary anytime, she's dead bored there, and you could bring along the guys too," finished Catherine.
"Yeah, sure, tell her I'll going during break after lunch."
"Wha…?"
"I'll tell you in class Sirius c'mon we only have five minute 'till the bell rings."
When they got to History of Magic there were only two seats left in the back so they took them. "Are you going to tell me what just happened," muttered Sirius. "Yeah, but give me a chance first."
James sat and explained everything to Sirius about that morning when he went to visit her, "And then, if you will believe, she tried to strangle me, right there, in front of Pomfrey. I dunno why she wants to see me again. Probably to finish what she started." When he finished talking the class only had five minutes left.
"Hey do you know where Remus is, I didn't see him at all in History of Magic, did you," he asked James.
"Nope."
"Hey guys," said a voice from out of no where.
"ARGH!" yelled James and Sirius together, "Don't do that!"
"Sorry," said Remus trying to hold back a snigger.
"So what class do we have next Padfoot?" Remus asked Sirius.
"Uh- Potions, I don't want to deal with Snape. He's even more unbearable since last year. "
"Gee I wonder why?"
"You know, I just don't know?" said Sirius missing the obvious sarcasm.
"Hm- maybe it's because you nearly got him killed," said Remus.
"Well, yeah, but-"
"But nothing, if you ask me he's got a good reason as to hate us."
"I agree with Moony. You should try to control your anger Sirius," said James.
"Ah…. What brings Mr.'s Potter, Black, and Lupin to my class?" said the cold, chilly, spine tingling voice of their Potions Professor.
"Potion cl-Sirius it's not Wednesday! It's Friday!" James scolded Sirius, "Err… sorry Professor Sourculdron, Sirius here got the days confused, we'll just be going now," explained James, each taking a step closer to the door.
"Not so fast Mr. Potter. I think I should take ten house points each from Gryffindor, and detentions for each of you," sneered Professor Sourculdron, her name really did suite her.
"Yes! I-I mean NO! Anything but a detention!" yelled and ecstatic Sirius.
"Well… we better be going we're late for Transfiguration," they ran out the door as fast as they could.
"Woo-hoo, I got a detention, I got a detention!" sang Sirius at the top of his lungs when they were in an empty corridor. He was doing a dance as well, pointing his index fingers in the air and dancing in a circle.
"How many 'till you beat the record?" asked James.
"Eighty-six," he replied, still doing his dance.
"Ah… Mr.'s Potter, Black, Lupin, how nice of you to join us, what may I ask kept you?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"Well, you see Professor, Sirius here got the wrong days and we went to Potions instead of Transfiguration," Remus explained.
"Very well, but next time don't rely on Mr. Black for which classes you have. Today we will be Transforming bricks into flowers. Please pair up, and take a brick each. The spell's Flowchage (flow sha ahg)."
"Flowchage!" said James and Sirius at the same time. James turned instantly into a lily, but Sirius on the other hand turned into a puddle of water.
After about three attempts, Sirius gave up. "Argh, Prongs can you show me how to do this it won't change shape at all," complained Sirius.
"Your doing it right, just don't move your wand as much," James said without looking up, "but don't just stab it, just point your wand at it."
"Okay." Sirius did as James had directed him and he got a desk full of forget-me- not flowers. "I did it. I feel special, actually I feel hungry, what's for lunch?"
The bell just rang and they were heading off to lunch.
"Err…."
"Hi guys!" It was Peter Pettigrew not exactly a Marauder, just a tag – along, he worshipped the ground that James, Sirius, and Remus tread on.
"Hi Peter," they said together.
"So, do any of you want to come to the infirmary with me?" asked James, they just sat down for lunch, "Sirius is already going, gonna prank her?"
"Yep, going to change her all sorts of colors," replied Sirius.
"Sure, why not," Remus said standing up.
"Okay," said Peter with a tiny squeak.
"Catherine why does he have to come today, why can't I just say thank you tomorrow?" complained Lily, she was always a complainer.
"Because I said so, now what should we do with your hair, it's an awful mess."
"Comb it."
"No, well yes, but let's put it up, make you look pretty for James."
"I don't wanna look pretty for Potter!"
"You're right you don't wanna look pretty for Potter, but you do look pretty for Potter, even when you're a mess," said a voice from the doorway.
"Eat scum," insulted Lily.
"Lily remember why you wanted to see him? To-" Catherine tried to explain, but Lily cut her off.
"Excuse me, but you called him up here, not me," snapped Lily.
"Yes, but you wanted to tell him something in the first place."
"Fine, Potter, I'm very sorry about trying to strangle you," though she didn't sound it at all, "and I'm very happy to still be alive. Although tell me, how did you know to do mouth- to – mouth, I thought that was only a muggle thing?"
"Well I-I-"
"Yes, James, you happen to know a number of spells that can make people start breathing again. Does James like Lily, that would definitely explain why his brick turned into a lily flower during Transfiguration class," Sirius mused walking through the doors. Remus stayed very quite, after all he was the smart one, he knew when and when not to talk. Peter just squeaked a hello.
James muttered a silencing spell, pointing his wand over his shoulders so that you could see his mouth moving, but you could hear any words.
"So does this mean we can at least be civil, I mean, we do have head duties," asked a very hopeful James. Sirius was still talking to himself apparently unaware of the silencing spell James placed upon him.
"Fine," was all he got from Lily.
"Yes, well I'll be going now, by my very colorful Lily flower," James tried to stifle a laugh as he left but it was no use. He started laughing after he took three steps from Lily's bed. Lily looked down at her hands and found them a horrid shade of purple, then she looked at her hair and it was a very bad shade of blue with bright glow-in- the- dark patches. Then she picked up her mirror and saw the most horrid red eyes, blood red, they looked like they had the power to kill, red.
"POTTER!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, "GET BACK HERE AND CHANGE BACK MY SKIN, HAIR, AND EYE COLORS RIGHT!"
James was nearly out the door when he turned around and saw Lily standing right in front of him. She was shivering like crazy, because she was still not back to her right body temperature and she had to stay under the covers.
"You should get back in bed, you're still below average body temperature," said James.
"Make me," said a very cold Lily.
"Okay, either get into that bed right now and I'll change you back, or kiss me."
That definitely got her back into bed, "There, now change me back right."
James did as he was told. Her skin was back to white, he eyes changed to green, and her hair changed back to a magnificent shade of red.
"Thank you," said Lily very kindly, "now LEAVE!"
"Okay, okay, don't get your knickers in a bunch. Geeze," said James.
"Hope you feel warmer Lily," said Remus. Once again, Peter just squeaked. Sirius tried to say something, but realized that he didn't hear any sound come from his mouth.
To compromised for his lack of vocally outputting his farewell, Sirius conjured up a parchment and quill and wrote:
Hope you feel as fiery as your hair soon and James like you.
"SIRIUS!" yelled James, "Don't mind him, he's just delirious."
Sirius scribbled something else down in hurried, big letters:
HEY I'M NOT DELERIOUS! HE REALLY DOES!
"C'mon, lets go I've got a lot of work I need to do," said James, trying to get them to leave."
It took a while but after a very long time he managed to get Sirius out of there, and into the common room.
