Chapter 2
Lily was the first one up the next morning and she got a little once of joy a few minutes after she had woken up. She had looked over at Bridget's bed hoping to see her sleeping there, and no, Bridget was not there, but her bed sheets gave definite signs that someone had spent the night in them, Lily smiled slightly and got up out of bed. Bridget was probably eating breakfast now so Lily made an effort to get dressed quickly and head on down there.
Sure enough, when Lily reached the almost empty great hall, there was Bridget.
Lily rushed over to her grinning. "Bridget there you are!" she said happily, joining her at the table. "We missed you last night. Where did you go?"
"Around," Bridget replied simply, playing around with her scrambled eggs.
Lily looked at her friend for a moment, the smile on her face sliding a bit. "I was really worried about you."
"Well you shouldn't have. I was fine," Bridget reached for a pitcher of pumpkin juice, avoiding Lily's eyes. "I can take care of myself. I just felt like being alone for a bit."
Lily continued to look at her for a few more minutes. "You could have told us where you'd gone. I missed pudding to try and find you."
"You shouldn't have worried about it, I'm fine. If I ever disappear again, just leave me alone and don't bother trying to find me," Bridget told her taking a bite out of her eggs. "And would you stop staring at me!" she rounded on Lily angrily.
"S-sorry," Lily said turning away and grabbing a platter of sausages.
The two girls ate the rest of breakfast together in silence until Amy and Alice finally came down to join them. They both greeted Bridget cheerfully and Bridget returned the favour, not convincing Lily at all that her friend had nothing to hide. She didn't join in at all in the conversation her three best friends were now engaged in, and instead sat quietly waiting for Professor McGonagall to hand out their time tables, extremely relieved when the head of Gryffindor finally did climb down from the teachers table.
She took her timetable quickly and headed down to the dungeons with Amy, Alice, and Bridget, listening to Amy rant on about having to endure her least favorite subject on Monday morning.
Lily didn't mind potions at all. Mainly because their teacher, Professor Slughorn, was a teacher who had a very bad habit of picking favorites and treating them accordingly. Lily, however, happened to be one of those favorites so she never found herself dreading potions class. Though she could do without Slughorn's parties which she was constantly being invited to and feared that this year would be no exception.
The four girls entered the classroom and took seats near the back, setting up their caldrons and preparing their ingredients.
"If we have to do one more potion involving rat guts, I swear I'm going to drop this class," Amy said distastefully.
"You've been saying that for three years," Alice smirked. "You'd never actually drop this. And I really hope you don't because then I'd owe Lily a galleon. Which reminds me Lily, you still owe me a galleon."
"She could still drop it this year," Lily mumbled, now rummaging through her bag trying to find her potions textbook, "I have faith in her."
"Thank you Lily," Amy grinned. "Oh, here come the walrus."
"Amy!" Alice said disapprovingly, "That's not a nice thing to say."
Lily, who had, just after Amy had mentioned 'Walrus', gotten the image of James wearing the 'help save the walrus' sign and walking around with the potions master, suddenly started laughing and couldn't stop.
"Er, Lily?" Alice asked, watching Lily double over and slide out of her seat. "You alright?"
Lily tried desperately to compose herself, "Yes. Yes, I'm fine," she gasped wiping the tears of laughter hastily from her emerald green eyes.
"Ah, welcome all of you. It's so nice to see all of my returning students here," Professor Slughorn started. "Today I'll have to keep my opening speech short for the potion we are going to make is a very difficult one which will take you the whole two hours to finish simmering it, preparing it for stage two. Instructions are on page 116 in your textbook; it's the repetitive potion. The dragon scales and crup fur are in the store cupboard. Begin!"
It was a very difficult potion indeed. So precise the instructions were, that even Lily, potion maker extra ordinaire, was having some troubles. It was even harder fifteen minutes later, for the dungeon, which was supposed to have been now filled with an brilliant white glow, was filled with a horrible smelling black smoke.
"Ok, we don't even have to use rat guts and I feel like leaving right now," Amy muttered, "Oh...maybe not."
Lily turned in the direction of Amy and saw her staring at James laughing with Sirius about something. She was just about to look away when -
"Amy watch it!" she cried, but was too late. The Butobuter pus in Amy's slackened drip poured into her potion, causing a large explosion to take place. Lily ducked behind her cauldron just in the nick of time, but Bridget, who was working just beside her, got a face full of the white coloured goo.
The dungeon had soon turned into chaos as half the class started screaming and rampaging around the room.
"Everyone who's been hit please come here for the antidote!" Professor Slughorn cried, trying his best to be heard over the yelling.
Bridget, Amy, and Alice stumbled over to the front of the classroom while Lily stayed behind to help scrape off the dispersed potion from the tables and floor. Lily looked back up at James (who was one of the lucky people not to have been hit) and saw him wink at Amy, who blushed and gave a sort of, 'oops, silly me' look.
Lily rolled her eyes and continued cleaning off the tables with the trusted old scourgify spell.
xxx
"Well that," Amy said smugly, "went better than I thought it would."
It was a and hour and a half later and the four of them where just leaving the potions classroom, clambering up the stone steps towards their next classes.
"I don't recall it being even slightly enjoyable," Alice fussed. "My left ear won't stop twitching. I don't think this antidote works."
"Of course it works," said Lily. "Just give it a bit of time. It'll be fine by lunch time. What class do you have next?"
"Ancient runes," Alice replied. "You?"
"Transfiguration," Lily replied. "It's really too bad we don't have every class together anymore."
"I have ancient runes too Alice," Bridget remarked. "So you won't be alone."
"Well I have care of magical creatures," Amy acknowledged glumly. "I still haven't entirely forgiven you guys for not telling me you weren't continuing the subject."
"Well, you could just drop the subject," Lily suggested.
"Hey! No giving her ideas. The bet's off," Alice told her angrily.
"All right, well I've got to go this way," Lily said turning left. "I'll see you all in the great hall at lunch." She waved all of them goodbye and headed towards her next class alone, humming tunelessly as she walked.
It wasn't long, however, before she fell victim, once more, to the trick step on the second staircase she had climbed up that day.
"Not again," she told herself angrily trying desperately to free herself. She knew from previous experience though, that it was hopeless. So she tried plan B.
"Help!" she called out. "Help!" But it was no use. The second bell signalling the start of class had just rung and everyone had already gone off to their next class.
Great, I'll just have to stand here with my leg bent in a really painful position until the end of class. Smart Lily. You'd think you'd have learned from all those other occasions involving you trapped in here to avoid this step.
McGonagall will never forgive me for not showing up on the first class of the semester. I'll probably miss something really important and -
"Lily?"
Lily looked up to see who was addressing her. "Dom!" she cried with relief.
"Oh thank God you're here."
Dominique Falph. A friend of Lily's from their 4th year on from Ravenclaw. Now a seventh year with blond hair and piercing blue eyes.
He grinned when he saw her and rushed to her aid. "Not again Lily. You'd think you'd have learned to avoid it after the - what - two hundredth time?"
"It was less than that," Lily defended herself, "Now help me out."
"Certainly Miss Evans."
"Ow, thanks."
"So how was your summer? You see the world cup?"
"No, but it doesn't matter," said Lily hurriedly. "Listen it's great seeing you again, but I've really got to get to transfiguration. I'll see you at later, maybe patrolling the halls."
"Patrolling the - ?"
"Ya, I'm head girl," Lily told him.
Dom looked astonished. "Crazy...and Sirius Black's the head boy right?"
"James Potter," said Lily, slinging her bag over her shoulder. If she hadn't known better, she could have sworn she'd seen a hint of jealousy in his eyes.
"James. The - the guy who's had a crush on you for three years?"
"I don't know...I've really got to go."
"Ya...ya, alright. I'll see you later I guess."
Lily smiled at him and continued up the steps towards Mcgonagall's classroom.
"Evan's you're ten minutes late," Professor Mcgonagall snapped as Lily rushed into the room.
"Sorry professor, I won't let it happen again," Lily said sitting down next to another friend of hers. Orange haired Hufflepuff, Mira. Lily knew she couldn't tell Mcgonagall about the trick step. She'd already used that excuse countless number of times.
"Trick step?" Mira whispered as Lily pulled her textbook out of her bag.
"Yup," said Lily now grabbing a handful of parchment. "Oh shoot, I forgot my quill."
"Here, borrow one of mine," said Mira.
"Thanks."
"Lily, please keep it down," Professor Mcgonagall snapped. "If you had been here on time, then you would have already politely written the notes off the board and be paying attention to me. The shrinking spell is not an easy one, but if you feel you don't need to pay attention to the lesson, then you're welcome to leave right now."
"Sorry, professor."
Mira leaned over to Lily as professor Mcgonagall went on with her lecture. "I bet she'd murder you if you left this class."
"To true," Lily quickly started jotting down the writing on the board. "But she doesn't like to draw attention to that fact."
And hour later, Lily left the classroom with Mira feeling elated. She had been one of the few people who had managed to successfully shrink their mice, and all without listening to professor Mcgonagall's speech.
Mira, who had not been so lucky, stormed off angrily in the direction of her common room to drop off her books.
Lily was too used to Mira's rage problem to care and went off in the direction of the great hall to meet her friends.
"Hi," she greeted and sat down next to Amy. "How's everyone."
"I now have the unfortunate burden of fearing for Amy's life," a disgruntled Alice said. "You?"
"What?" Lily looked at Amy curiously, "Why?"
"I'm going to try out for the quidditch team!" Amy squealed.
"Oh God," Lily said, spooning some Shepard's pie on her plate. "Amy remember the last time you flew on a broom? Isn't two broken legs enough?"
"That was six years ago. I wish all of you would just let that go," Amy said irritated.
"What, now you think you're good enough for the team? You haven't been on a broom for six years," Bridget sighed.
"You're going to embarrass yourself in front of James, not seduce him, which, I'm sure, is your real plan," Alice commented.
"Well you sure are being supportive friends!" Amy snarled. "I'm trying out anyway and there's nothing you can do to stop - " Amy stopped, choking on her pumpkin juice.
"It's your funeral," Lily said thumping her on the back.
xxx
"I'm going to drown in all of this homework," Alice muttered. "And its only the first day back."
It was nearly eleven at night and the four friends where sitting in the common room, occupying the squishy armchairs directly infront of the fireplace. Lily was the only one who had finished her homework and was now reading ahead in her charms textbook.
"I give up," said Amy angrily slamming her books shut. "I'm going to bed. See you all in the morning."
"I'm coming too," Alice said rubbing her eyes. "Are you two staying here."
"I'll come up in a bit," Bridget said while scribbling frantically on a piece of parchment. "I just have to finish answering a few questions."
"I'm staying," Lily said, leaning back in her armchair. "I'm not really tired." In truth Lily was tired, but here was a ready made excuse for her and Bridget to be alone. Again there was a controversy going on in her head though. Was she just being too nosy? No...no...it would help Bridget if she told someone.
Amy shrugged and she and Alice headed up the spiral steps to their dormitory.
Lily didn't say anything at first, she simply watched Bridget working on her homework in front of the fire in the hearth. The flames crackling merrily, sounding like people chuckling at Lily as though knowing she was about to embark on a mission she would never complete.
"Bridget?" she said finally.
Bridget looked up from the parchment. "Yes?"
Lily continued to stare at her for a moment before continuing. "There's something different about you..."
Bridget rolled her eyes impatiently. "Not this again. No there isn't. Stop bothering to look for things that aren't even there," she went back to her homework.
"What happened to your glasses?" Lily asked suddenly, surprised she had missed their absence.
"I - er - must have forgotten them at...home," Bridget narrowed her eyebrows. "I don't need them really...my vision's not that bad..."
"Write to your parents for new ones," Lily suggested.
"I told you I don't need them!" Bridget yelled out suddenly causing Lily to jump.
"Okay, okay. I get it," Lily said very aware of the heads of people now turned in her direction drawn by Bridget's shouts. "But now you can't possibly deny nothing's going on. You never used to shout at me like that before."
"Ya? Well you were never this nosy before," Bridget snapped.
"I'm just trying to help," Lily said urgently, "Something's wrong with you. What kind of friend would I be if I just sat around ignoring you?"
"A friend I'd want to have," she said angrily, accidently spilling her ink bottle as her hands shook with fury. "I said leave me alone. If there is something wrong with me I can work it out myself. I know what's wrong with me and what I have to do to fix it!"
Lily watched her for a moment. "Sorry, I won't bother help in the future."
"Thank you," Bridget breathed, snatching up her books and stuffing them into her bag. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Lily said quietly as Bridget left the common room.
It was a little while longer when Lily finally decided to get up and head off to bed herself. She slowly got up from the squashy armchair and started moving towards the spiral steps. Something stopped her though, for she had just heard a large amount of snickering coming from the corner Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter were currently occupying.
She walked over to them. "Alright what are you planning to do this time?"Lily demanded. She really wasn't in the mood for any of their shenanigans.
Sirius looked up at her innocently. "Nothing."
Lily continued to glare at them. "You're planning something."
James shook his head. "We really aren't planning anything at the moment."
"Well I should hope so," Lily looked at James. "You're head boy now, you can't keep pranking everyone anymore."
"Told you you shouldn't have gotten so excited about getting that badge," Sirius said leaning back into the sofa and turning to James. "She's right, it's going to take all the fun out of your life."
"I still have fun," Remus commented feebly.
"Are you done accusing us?" Sirius asked. "You want to frisk me?"
Lily glowered at him. "You just consider yourselves lucky...this time. I'm watching you. And if anything strange happens tomorrow or this week or the rest of the year, I'll be blaming you."
"Well what if it wasn't us?" Peter questioned.
"Then I'll still blame you. Even if all the clues point to someone else."
"Well that's not very fair," James said looking her in the eyes. "What if you did it?"
"Not this year. I'm leaving it up to you...and Remus."
"Yes, James," Sirius mocked. "You have to make sure Peter and I behave."
"Hey shut up. I can put you in detention now you know!"
"I shivering in my armchair."
Lily sighed and turned her back on the boys, the only thing in her mind now was sleep.
Alright, that's chapter two and I'm hoping the lack of James and co. isn't bothering you too much. James will play a bigger part later on in the story so don't worry about that. Right now I'm only thinking of writing up until Lily and James's first kiss, but who knows, I may go further. It depends on the reviewers.
Which brings me to the point: please review! I ask for constructive criticism about the characters the style etc. But I don't care too much about my grammar or what not. I don't think there are too many mistakes in that field anyway.
I hope you're enjoying the story so far.