THE APOLOGY AND THE CONSEQUENCES

James was sitting alone in his dorm, recapping the events of the day. He was definitely over Lily. How could she not see it? How could she be so oblivious to him? Why the bloody hell does she hate him? He punched his pillow fiercely in to shape and laid down on it. That was it; he was not going to think about her anymore.

Yeah right said a voice inside him, like that could happen.

Why not?- he thought. She's just a girl with lustrous hair, GORGEOUS eyes, a kind heart (or so I thought) and-

The love of your life said the voice smugly.

O shut up!

He turned over and went in to a fitful sleep.

Let's rewind.

After Alex McGilchristallencolinmeandersmith had sauntered off, James started towards Snape with a grim look on his face ignoring Sirius completely. O gods save his soul!

"James!" called out Sirius "Hey JAMES!"

But James continued striding over to Snape. As James approached him, his shadow fell on Snape who immediately looked up.

"Ah Potter!" he said coolly "Can't get enough of detention can you? I doubt that your girl friend will be there to distract you when you have slugs for eyelids."

James looked like he wanted to hit him with all his might but instead he gave Snape a good natured smile that didn't quite extend up to his eyes.

"You always were the witty one Snape!"

Snape raised his eye brows and looked like he wanted to laugh hysterically but the moment passed and his eyes were cold again.

"Not come to duel have you? I can't imagine why you'd be here otherwise."

To buy time James turned around to find Sirius. Instead he found the marauders standing with Alice gaping at him in disbelief. Alice had clearly told him what Lily wanted him to do. Sirius was giving him a how-low-can-you-sink-for-a-bloody-female look. He had forever lost the respect of his friends. He felt his stomach turn, he felt like throwing up. Maybe if he threw up on Snape they would respect him again.

FAT CHANCE!

He turned back to Snape, whose eyes were narrowed.

"Ok… to the point then, icumtaapalgyze"

"Stop talking gibberish and wasting my time" said Snape impatiently. What was he playing at?

James took a deep breath and said very slowly- "I came to apologize"

James looked at Snape uncertainly whose face remained blank.

"What kind of sick joke is this!" Snape looked furious.

"No. No joke. I want to say I'm sorry for all that I put you through, that was a horrid thing to do."

This time Snape did laugh hysterically.

"Ah the mighty Potter apologized to me! To anyone! No matter what happens next that will be a good story to tell the Slytherins, even if it means detention for the whole week!"

"HAHAHA!" James laughed forcibly "I get it! It's funny because I'm a horrible, no good, egotistical, sanctimonious pig right?"

Snape looked at James closely. It was clear that his curiosity was overriding his intense hate for James.

"Why are you doing this Potter?" he asked "Apology not accepted by the way" he added.

"Because-of-my er… conscience!" He said dramatically clutching his chest" My conscience won't let me live with myself, it keeps nagging me, I am wrong, you're right ok?"

"No, not ok. So your 'conscience', would its name be Lily Evans by any chance?" he smirked.

"NO!" James said quickly "It's not Lily at all! My conscience-"

"Your conscience-" Snape interrupted "Is nothing more than a figment of your imagination. That filth has asked you to do this. She must really hate you."

James was breathing heavily. Then his face cleared up.

"Come on Snape! You shouldn't… you shouldn't call her that. Its very impolite you know…" but James knew this was hopeless.

"Impolite is it?" asked Snape curtly "Alright then, Lily Evans is a mudblood. A smart mudblood though. This must kill you. Nice way to get rid of you eh?"

"DON'T" James he said with a pained look "Call her a mudblood!" His eyes were cold.

"Mudblood, mudblood, mudblood."

As James's face contorted with rage Sirius came striding up to them.

"How's it going Snivellus?" on seeing his expression he added "Just because you're bonding with James doesn't mean I hate you any less."

Sirius gave him an apologetic smile. To his surprise Snape smiled back coldly.

"Ah… I do not delude myself in to thinking I could bond with the great James Potter! Especially since this is so pointless." he added the last part looking at James.

"Go away Sirius." said James

"Yeah go away. I don't want to be interrupted while I watch James getting his heart broken." Snape was smiling gleefully. Even his greasy hair seemed to be swaying with delight.

"Ha-ha. Where do you come up with that stuff?" said James looking extremely sick.

Then he looked at Sirius and said- "Go away"

"Excuse me?" said Sirius looking falsely offended "I think you meant to be mean to Snape and nice to me!"

"Sirius please!" James pleaded.

Sirius looked at James, then at Snape and told him- "I'll be watching you."

"I'm shaking!" said Snape with an evil grin.

Sirius then stalked off.

James turned back to Snape. He was done with this.

"Ok, you're right Snape. About my apology I mean." he looked put off "But you're dead wrong about Lily."

"O open your eyes Potter! She despises you! She told you to do this because she thought you couldn't and then you'd leave her alone! And even I thought you were smarter than that!" he said scathingly "Even flobber worms are smarter than you!"

"She wants to see the good side of me!"

"She wants to see no side of you, just the back of your head!"

James just stared at him, his face growing red with rage.

So this was Lily's way of getting rid of him was it? He'd show her!

Snape laughed. This was really scary. Getting to his feet Snape said- "Ah I see the point has been driven home!"

Still laughing and shaking his head Snape headed towards the castle.

James just stood there not knowing what to do, anger spread through every inch of his body. He suddenly turned around, aimed his wand at Snape and said-

"sanguiniato!"

Immediately Snape fell to the ground in a bundle with his books. His ears had turned in to bats that were flapping furiously slapping Snape on the face.

Now, that felt GOOD!

Well, so much for being nice.

James stuffed his wand in his pocket and ran to the castle before anyone could raise an alarm. When he entered, the marauders were waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs.

"So…. What happened?" asked Remus hesitantly

"Hexed Snape" said James shortly.

Everyone kept quiet. Then James broke the silence by saying-

"Ok… go on then- 'James what's wrong with you?', 'James, Snape of all people! How could you?' or 'James! You're such an idiot! It was so obvious that Lily was trying to get rid of you!'"

He looked at them defiantly.

"We weren't going to say anything!" squeaked Peter.

"Its true, mate" said Remus patting his back "it's too easy"

James scowled at them. It deepened when he saw Lily and Alice starting up the stairs.

"And you!" shouted James pointing at Lily who immediately stopped.

Alice had told her about James and she couldn't believe it. She felt guilty at what she had made him do; everyone knew how much James and Snape hated at each other.

She watched James stalking up to her, his face furious and her chest tightened some more with guilt.

"You!" continued James "You're an awful person! You made me apologize to Snape! And for what? To make a complete prat of myself? Do you hate me that much? What have I ever done to you?"

He was shouting now, people had started to stop and stare, but he ignored them. Lily kept quite and let him vent his anger.

"I don't care; I don't care about you or anything to do with you! And you can go out with McGil-crud-allen-friggin-me-and-the-schmuck!" he paused occasionally to distort Alex's name further.

"And I do not care even if you go out with Snape! Marry him why don't you?

He started for his potions class, paused and turned- "Ok maybe I care about the last part" he said softly and stormed off.

No one spoke for a second, and then the hall started returning to normal.

Lily grabbed Alice and whispered- "Do you think he'll ever forgive me? I can't believe that I didn't see the vulnerable side of him."

"WHAT?"

Fast forward

James lay in his bed, still not getting any sleep not knowing that Lily couldn't get any sleep either!

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I'm sorry if it sucked. I had a HORRIBLE day.

To my reviewers --

THANKS! I LURVE U GUYS!

Since I don't have enough time to reply to all of you- I'll give you the gist--

- My name is Ramani, I'm an Indian and this is my cousin and her friend's account. I'm 17 , (surprise!). Hope I'm not older than all of you! India thrives on Harry Potter!

Keep reviewing, the feedback has been great! Stay tuned for the concluding chapter…(drumroll, please!)

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