Disclaimer: I'm sure JKR sweats like mad while writing HP books. I know I do while updating this fic. –phew-
Author's Notes: I overcame the writer's block I had! Woohoo! That means I haven't been able to stand up from the desk whole day today... 10 hours! 10 hours, people! My neck, arms, head – everything hurts... so as soon as I finished the chappie, I decided to post it. Without beta-reading. Yeah, yeah, that means a bunch of mistakes, but I just couldn't wait and I couldn't bother correcting them... am... so... tired... ahhhh... Well, hopefully, HermioneLuna will do the beta-reading anyhow. -puppy dog eyes- And when she does (er, if she does), I'll re-post the chappie. Okay? Okay.
As the title says – you can expect some unexpected help, a discovery at Christmas time and... a new part of Matrimonium Alveum. Hope you like! Besides, this is the longest chapter I've ever written. My, my. Weird.
I bow before all of you who left feedback. You know who you are, you ass kickin' people - Snuffles Is Loony for Moony, blacksmoon, starburstsweetie, Shuffle Queen, HermioneLuna, MrS-SiRiUs-BlAck, centaur219, luvin'it, Stephanie, Moka, PrincessSkywalkerOrgana, UnforseenShadow, luv nikki, Bhekie, MarliS, the-girl-named-kittie, starryfaerie, Sindhoo, MooseyDoom777, Sarrie, xXxShellyxXx, born2driveat16, Leftover Jackson, KitKatKate0517, Annieboo92...
Anddddd... the saga continues.
Not So Holy Matrimony
written by Milka-Weasley
Chapter 11 – Unexpected Help and a Christmas Discovery
Lily heard a quiet and incoherent mutter coming from somewhere above.
"...s... ns... ying... et up... ans..."The mumbling sounded to her as though it was thousands of miles away and Lily couldn't understand a thing. She tried her best to focus on the words, but it was harder than she thought. All of her regular brain functions worked sort of slowly and chaotically. Lily needed some time to realize she had been lying on a cold frosty floor for... Gandalf knows how long. The arm she had fallen on was numb, her thick winter robes were entirely wet and Lily's frozen tense body ached unpleasantly. She noticed her hands were still tied tightly together and began to shiver with cold and discomfort.
"... on the floor... damnit... what am I doing... wrong..." the mutter kept trying to reach her. Lily still couldn't understand distinctively, but it was getting more and more understandable.
In the next moment, she felt a rough hand pulling her robes in clumsy attempt to get her off the floor.
"... cooperate Evans, I don't have all day."
"J – James," she asked weakly, voice filled with hope. "That... you?" She tried to open her eyes again, but her heavy eyelids were firmly closed.
"Wrong guess," the voice sounded much clearer to Lily now. It was glum and not exactly appealing. "Can't see your precious Potter nowhere in sight, that's for sure. Come on, get up already. Here, take my hand before I change my mind. I don't do this often, especially not to people like you, but I have conscience... sometimes."
Lily couldn't see what other choice she had, so she gave a small nod and gritted her teeth while trying to pull herself up.
The person reached out a hand once more and this time managed to help Lily stand up. She lurched a bit and slowly opened her eyes for the first time.
"You?" she asked in disbelief. "What... why... what's this supposed to mean? Well I just can't... believe this... day!"
Severus Snape gave her a long, abysmal look. "Nobody pressured me to do it, you know."
Lily trembled as she remembered what another Slytherin had done to her earlier.
"You sure?" Lily said distrustfully. "Certain miss Monster Black didn't send you to finish me? Expect me to believe in that crap?"
"What the hell are you rambling about, Evans!" exclaimed Severus, confused.
"Fact is a fact, Snape. We don't usually help each other, do w--"
"Listen Evans," Snape said nastily, cutting her in the middle of a sentence, shooting his yellowish teeth forth. "Don't flatter yourself. Saw you on the ground and thought you needed assistance, big deal! I don't ask for gratitude nor I think anything will change between us. One more thing – better not tell anyone about this."
"Why? People might think you've even got... feelings?" said Lily without hesitation.
Snape frowned as he tried to think of a clever answer.
"Whatever," he responded shortly, willing to end the conversation. "Just forget this has ever happened and goodbye."
"One more thing, though," Lily added quietly after Snape had already turned back on her.
"Now what?" he snapped rather impatiently.
"I can't believe I'm asking for your help," she said, sounding extremely humiliated. "But I seem to have no choice. You managed to do it once so I'm counting on another miracle."
"Your point is...?"
Lily heaved a deep sigh. "Would you untie me?"
Snape's eyebrows elevated momentarily. "Would I what?"
"Untie. Verb opposite to tying somebody. Like, somebody tied me up," Lily spoke as thought she was explaining a new word to a regular imbecile. "and now I'm asking you to un--"
"Your perverted filthy games with Potter do not concern me, Evans" Snape replied disgustedly. "If he tied you up, he should untie you as well."
Lily glared. "If you didn't help me only minutes ago, our dialogue would definitely turn into a bad sight full of vulgar words I don't even like saying."
"The feeling's mutual." Snape retorted coldly.
"Glad to hear it," Lily responded indifferently. "You'll do it, right? Be positive I'll never ever ask anything from you again."
Snape was silent for a few seconds, lost in thought. "To hell with it," he muttered in his chin, annoyed. Then he commanded: "Turn around."
"SNIVELLUS, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!"
Severus and Lily, thoroughly startled by this loud shriek, turned around and saw three figures approaching incredibly fast.
"James!" Lily exclaimed as soon as she recognized the furious boy who seemed to be nearly running to get to her, relieved and happy to finally see a loved face.
"LET GO OF HER NOW!" snarled James, pointing out his wand. Sirius and Remus drew out their wands as well, ready to aim at Severus.
"You really beg to be hexed again, don't you Snivelly?" Sirius barked lethally. "Some serious issues you've got. One would think Remus's successful curse would teach you something."
"If you have problems with us," Remus added sternly, "that is no excuse to attack the girl. She hasn't done anything to you!"
"And here I thought this would be a quiet abandoned little ally with no people in it. Since when did it become so popular?" grumbled Snape to himself as though he didn't hear what they had been saying. "Potter, I'm terribly sorry you aren't the big shot of the day this time. Maybe you ego will finally simmer down a bit now and make all of us much happier?"
"Shut up," he retorted. "Lily, are you okay?" James looked at her affectionately, seeing she slightly trembled with cold. Glancing towards her arms, he noticed Lily's corded hands that went indigo because they were lacking circulation. The muscles on his face tightened as he shook with anger. "You BASTARD!" he growled at Snape. "What have you done to her! I'll kill you, I swear to God, you're a dead man! Move aside, Lily."
"James, no!" Lily quickly said. "he didn't do anything, it wasn't him who--"
"Stand aside, Lily" James demanded again, his eyes burning with murderous fire.
"Listen to me, James..." she tried to explain, but he didn't listen.
"Why are you defending this skunk?" Sirius asked waspishly.
"Because he didn't attack me. He actually..." she began, still not quite believing it had been the real truth.
"He actually what?" said James, glaring at Snape.
"I bloody helped her, all right?" Snape spat, his empty black eyes showing he was disgusted with himself. "Which I deeply regret. I knew I should've minded my own business, and I probably would have any other time. It just... This has just thought me a lesson – never help anyone, especially if they have idiotic friends."
"Watch it," warned Remus. "We still have our wands pointed out."
Sirius laughed in incredulity.
"You want us to believe what we saw was you helping? Helping Evans? The same girl who you like to call Mud... I'm not even gonna say it."
"Is it true?" James asked Lily quietly.
She nodded shortly. "Unbelievable, but yes - it's true."
"I don't know what you're playing at--" James began, still staring at Snape, but he cut him off.
"Right now," Snape answered coldly. "I'm playing a little game called 'I want to go away from you Gryffindor fools as soon as possible because I've had enough for today'" He turned back to them and marched away.
"That was weird... he called us 'fools' only once." stated Remus, putting his wand back to his pocket.
James untied Lily's hands and took off his coat to wrap it around her.
"You'll freeze," she said quietly.
"Don't you worry 'bout that. I've got thick skin."
"Head too," added Sirius helpfully. "Trust me Evans, I've tried smacking it once during a Quidditch Match. It – just - wouldn't - break!"
Lily faintly smiled, rubbing her numb wrists. "Thanks for the coat, James."
"Now that's a real gentleman, sharing coats with ladies and stuff," Remus said to Sirius. "Watch 'n' learn, Padfoot. You'll need those gentlemen manners if you wish to accomplish something in life."
James grinned, tightly hugging Lily, who was still shivering.
"You poor thing. And my idiotic self thought you stood me up," he quietly said, tenderly kissing her forehead. Remus couldn't help but smile at James's gesture. "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions, I seem to do that a lot lately... So, tell me Lily, if Snape was the one to help, who was the bastard to do tie your hands? Tell me so I can deal with them the way they deserve!"
"I wish it was the only thing she's done," Lily whispered in response, fighting hard not to start crying. The feeling of unbearable pain was still too fresh; the sight of Bellatrix maniacally laughing was too vivid and the repressed emotions were quickly coming to surface.
Sirius, Remus and James exchanged worried glances whilst she tried to get a grip. "Shhhh, calm down, everything's gonna be fine..." James softly whispered in her ear, not quite sure what else he could say.
"It was that Bellatrix bitch, it was," she managed to say through gritted teeth after a few moments of silence. "Yes, Black, your cousin. She... she actually... she used the Cruciatus curse on me because I was Rodolphus's ex girlfriend."
"She -- she used what?" Remus asked even though he heard well what Lily had said. "But that's forbidden! She could go to Azkaban for it, you know that!"
"Damn," Sirius cursed in his chin. "No wonder I wanted to change my last name. Sometimes I'm so sure being a Black is a disgrace."
James was silent for the longest time. "Lily," he finally spoke, looking dead serious, "that beast won't get away with this. I promise you that. She'll remember the day she laid her dirty fingers on my wife."
"And we'll help her remember it for the rest of her life," winked Sirius significantly.
Remus didn't say anything; he just took a brand new Chocolate Frog out of his pocket and handed it over to Lily, smiling encouragingly. Sirius gaped, pretending to feel left out.
"Well that just does it, Remus John Lupin! Do I too need to be crucio'd to get some sweets? Sheesh, what a villain."
On James's and Remus's firm insisting, Lily had gone to Hospital Wing for a couple of days to get a good rest. She objected saying she was all right, but they wouldn't give in. Lily couldn't imagine she would be spending the long awaited holidays in bed, but James assured her she would be out before Christmas.
The doors of Madam Pomfrey's Hospital Wing had been opened for every Hogwarts student at any time. If you needed discretion, she would make sure you would have it without making much fuss. She didn't ask excessive questions and had always done her job devotedly. She didn't interrogate Remus and James about what had happened to Lily. It was enough for her to see James's anxious look, unattractive purple bruises on Lily's arm, frostbites all over her body and the exhausted face of the girl to provide her the most comfortable bed in the whole wing.
Poppy Pomfrey immediately supplied Lily with enormous amounts of chocolate, made her drink the Recovering Potion and fended for the girl to get the necessary sleep.
The night before Christmas, James had visited Lily in the wing, transmitting the get well wishes from their classmates. He thought how attractive Lily had looked as she greeted him with a huge smile spreading across her well-rested face. She sat in her bed, arms around her knees, wearing pyjamas... no, not pyjamas, James corrected himself, sleeping gown, andlooked more tender than ever. He leaned over and kissed her voluptuously. The delicate stings of his mark of affection penetrated her whole body and Lily beamed as she scented the aftertaste of James's mouth.
"Mmmm, there's been vanilla pudding for desert."
"What? How d'you know that? I've brushed my teeth before I came here!"
"Sixth sense, what can I say?" mused Lily. "Guess who'll be out of here first thing in the morning! Madame Pomfrey said I'm as good as new again."
James didn't try to hide his enthusiasm. "Great! The bed's been kind of empty the last couple of days, you know. And dead aunt Noele's kind of afraid of dark too, you need to comfort her a bit. I mean him. What I actually want to say is - Dumbledore announced what the Matrimonium Alveum's next move is. You'll like it."
"Yeah?" chuckled Lily. "What is it then?"
"Got a nice, fancy dress?"
"Uh-huh, think so."
"Good. Eight o'clock, Great Hall, tomorrow night, you and me, having a blast."
Lily gave him a questioning look.
"You've trusted me before, trust me this time too. Now move aside a bit. I have to rest my poor old legs before going to a Quidditch practice and I see a nice spot near you which I simply have to use."
The Great Hall had never looked more glamorous than it did on that Christmas night of 1977.
The regular long four house tables and the one for the professors were gone and had been replaced by numerous little scarlet, dark blue and silver tables for two. They had romantic perfumed candles in the middle of each, with a couple of glittering cards on two opposite parts of the tables.
The illumination in the chamber was shaded and the only source of light was the candles. There were small sparkling stars everywhere in the air, mixed with the bland smell of mistletoe, Christmas trees and marzipan.
At exactly eight o clock, some pleasant, relaxing and not very loud instrumental music filled the Great Hall. The heavy wooden doors of the room opened and let the spruced, glowing and cheerfully chattering Matrimonium Alveum couples inside.
"Wow," sighed Lily in awe as she entered the Great Hall, hand in hand with a smug-looking James. She was wearing a long violet dress made of some silky, streamy material and her long red hair was braided in a plait. When James first saw her, he couldn't find words to express how ravishing she was and when he did, he couldn't stop telling her that. Lily thought he looked equally handsome in distinguished black robes. "This has exceeded my imagination. Look at those cute little tables! And listen to that music! Clementine must be flipping out now, this is her dream come true. Wow, this is just – wow."
"Yeah, I agree, it's nothing special," Sirius added teasingly. He wore a simple, yet effective gray robes in which he looked spectacular. He stood closely behind James and Lily, with Remus by his side. A few people stared at Remus and Sirius, causing Remus's cheeks to start matching his red dress robes, but he tried not to give any signs he had seen their curious glimpses.
Peter entered the hall with his destined one right after Remus and Sirius. He couldn't hide his puzzlement and his jaw literally dropped.
Sirius just nudged him with elbow, saying: "Stop goggling at Moony or I'll start thinking you're having the hots for my wife. And that ain't gonna end up good, capisci?"
Stunned by this reaction, Peter closed his mouth and decided it would be better to mind his own business.
"Well, guys," James said to his friends, grinning from ear to ear, "time to say farewell. See ya later and... behave yourselves."
Remus nodded, smiling while Sirius shook his head. "You kiddin'? This is the perfect night for going wild! Come on, Loopy, let's burn down the house!"
Lily waved to them and she and James went to find a free table near a big Christmas tree in one corner.
"What are these for?" asked Lily, noticing the glittering cards on their table.
"No idea," shrugged James, ruffling his hair absent-mindedly, "but let's find out."
Both of them seized their cards, reading inquisitively.
"Basically," said James after a few minutes, while Lily was still staring at her card. "mine says I should tell you a secret about myself... any secret you wish to know. You just need to say some words out loud and there'll be no way I could lie to you then. Says honesty is the key to a successful marriage. Honesty, what is that?"
"Oh, stop it. I think that's really cool!" Lily said amusedly. "Mine says I should smack you in head if you ever flirt with any other girl other than me. Yes, Potter, I saw you checking out that fifth year blonde's bum when we entered the Great Hall."
"I wasn't checking her out!" James defended himself. "She was standing right in front of me, I couldn't keep my eyes closed! It's not my fault she's got colossal buttocks, is it?"
"Relax," she smirked. "I'm just giving you a hard time. I know you wouldn't do it. You haven't chased me all those years in vain, have you?"
James grinned. "Claro que no. So, miss Evil for 1977, what did the card say? Really say, I mean?"
"You promise not to freak out?" she said after a few moments of silence.
"God, I knew it," James exclaimed dramatically. "It said I should prove my love to you by jumping off the highest Hogwarts tower! Goodbye, cruel world, it's been nice knowing you. Don't forget the lovesick James Potter--"
"You done?" laughed Lily. "It's not that serious, but it is kind of a big deal. It said I should take you to meet my family in the next few days. Obviously, they need to know who I'm married to."
James lightened up. "Groovy! Got any pretty sisters like yourself? Can never get enough of beautiful Evanses, this stud."
"I'm sure you can't. Well, I do have a sister and, trust me, you won't be as enthusiastic when you meet her as you are now. My Mum and Dad are something else. They'll love you, I'm sure!"
"You sayin' she won't like me?" James said, smiling self-confidently. "We'll see about that."
"Yeah, I s'pose we will," added Lily thoughtfully. "Now, as for my little truth spell... Give me your card, I wanna read the words. I've figured out the question."
"I hope you don't ask if I really checked out that girl's background or I'm doomed," James pretended to be scared and Lily softly smacked him over the head. "Ouch. All right, here it is."
Lily read the words in her sleeve and then repeated out loud. "I entice thee to speak the truth, I entice thee not to lie, when I ask you to respond, only truth shall be reply. Sweet. Feeling any different?"
"Feeling scared, that's for sure."
Lily remarkably cleared her throat. "Here's something I've always wanted to know."
"Uh-oh."
"Why do I sometimes hear you calling Remus 'Moony', Black 'Padfoot' and Pettigrew 'Wormtail'? What is that all about? How did they get their nicknames? And why do they call you Prongs? P.S. This is all one question."
James's face got flushed with terror and he started stuttering like mad. Lily stared highly confused, not being able to understand how that question could make such a disastrous effect.
"Ohshitshitshit, this was a bad idea. I can't say, I mustn't... oh, shit, the words are coming out themselves, heavens forgive me... It's all started with Remus Lupin getting his nickname Moony because he is a... oh, God, James shut up, I can't... he is a.. a..."
"James, sweetie, are you alright?" Lily asked, genuinely worried. "Calm down, please. Boy, I'd never ask if I knew this would happen. Is there a counter curse? I can reverse it, if you like... No, it says here, it would end when you answer the question--"
"He is a werewolf, that's what he is," James cut her off as the words came out of his mouth; He was unable to prevent them. "That's how he became Moony. And, I'll regret this, I know I will, Sirius, Peter and I decided to be there for him and we actually found a way to turn ourselves into Animagi and Sirius's Animagus form is a big black dog, that's why he's called Padfoot, Peter is a rat, so he's called Wormtail and I am a... oh, this is bad, very bad, my Animagus is a stag, so I'm Prongs. And that's about that."
James finally shut up and Lily was speechless. People around them would probably think they had suddenly turned into... fish – mute, opened mouth and altogether looking pretty dumb.
"So..." Lily managed to say after some time, shaken and still trying to absorb the new and incredible information. "So..."
James felt uncomfortable. "So, now you know. My best friend is a beast and I am not something you'd actually call, er, human either..."
Lily stared at her hands and mumbled something in her chin.
"What did you say?" James mechanically asked.
"I said... Do you ever go out to play hide and seek with McGonagall?" she repeated more articulately, a mischievous grin beginning to dance on her face. "Considering she's an Animagus too, I mean."
James felt his lips forming a snicker. "Nah, she's too rigid for us."
"It has nothing to do with you being unregistered Animagi, of course," Lily added quietly, amazement glowing in her green eyes. "It's quite some thing you guys managed to do. Not only managed, what you wanted to do. Because of a friend... That's really heroic, James. And really loyal. I want you to know I'm very... well... proud of you. And that your secret is safe with me."
"Well, it better be. You're the only living soul who knows about this except us... oh, and Snivellus, but he found out by himself. This is really not a small secret and I know you understand it," James responded and then looked as though he remembered something. "By the way, did I hear you call me 'sweetie' a few minutes ago?"
"You've probably dreamed it, Potter," she responded playfully.
"And I love you too, Lily. Happy Christmas."
Author's Notes: Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Thoughts in your reviews, I beggggggggggg. Okay, see you, bye.
