Chapter Five: Conspiracy
Remus couldn't remember a time he was so tired. The full moon had been a week ago, they'd gone out for their monthly jaunt, per usual, homework was a constant state of work, but not unexpected. He didn't know why he was so tired. At least not yet. He arrived at a real possible cause that morning when he sat down for breakfast. The school was buzzing with something, but he could care less if he tried. Sirius was looking over a book for a quiz they had that morning. Peter was examining Sirius's notes for the same subject. James was sitting with the Ravenclaws, trying to pretend he was interested in what Samantha had to say. It was clear, however, that James was already bored with her. Even from a distance Remus could see that his eyes were glazed, and that he was merely nodding and smiling at the appropriate times.
Knowing for certain that Lily, despite her constant flow of complaints about James's many character flaws, actually liked James a great deal, he looked for her down the table to see how she was reacting to it. She hadn't been as boisterous or as bubbly lately, and Remus knew she frequented her classroom to cry so that no one would see her. But this morning she'd brought distraction in the form of her friend Claudia. They too were quizzing each other in preparation, just as he should be.
James left Samantha, possibly because he remembered the quiz or more likely he was tired of her and needed an excuse to get away from her. He tried to catch Lily's eye as he passed, but she had suddenly burst out laughing at a joke Claudia had told, and completely missed James passing. He looked flustered then sat down next to Remus and pulled out his book.
"How's Sam?" Sirius asked.
James shrugged. "No idea. I didn't hear a word."
"Dump her, James," Remus said with a sigh. Maybe all the dramatics was the reason he was tired.
"I think that's a good idea. I'll do it this afternoon. She won't mind," he replied. "Besides, I don't want to spend all day with her in Hogsmeade. So this test, how hard will it be?" he asked.
Peter looked up from Sirius's notes, "I threw up this morning," he confessed.
"You know," Sirius said clearing his throat, "that falls under the category of too much information, Peter. You'll do fine."
The bell rang shortly thereafter. The four of them, as well as many others from their year, stood in the queue patiently awaiting McGonagall's arrival. James wasn't worried about the quiz, but had reviewed anyway. He was reminding himself about Gruthard's Third Theory, trying to remember all the highlights, when he saw Snape's sneering face come into focus. James paid him little attention, but Snape was curiously smug.
"What're you smirking at, Snivellus?" Sirius asked, and the people waiting with them silenced. Sirius drew his wand.
"Oh nothing," he drawled, his smirk growing. "Just thinking."
"I thought you looked constipated," Sirius said, and many people laughed. Surprisingly, Snape grinned. James was unnerved by it. He looked maliciously at James, as if waiting for a sudden fight.
"I expect you'll be unfamiliar with the process," Snape replied to Sirius.
"Ha ha," James said, and found his wand in his pocket should he need it at a moment's notice. "Very funny."
There was a clicking coming toward them and Sirius put his wand away as McGonagall marched between them. She eyed Snape and James but spared them the lecture. They all poured into the class and found their seats, James sat with Sirius.
"What's he so happy about?" James asked as he pulled out his quill from his bag.
"I don't know."
McGonagall sent them their quizzes as she sat in her chair. "No talking," she said. "You may leave once you have finished but please do not rush."
James caught Snape smirking at him again, but ignored him as best he could.
The quiz was just as difficult as Peter had feared but it did not warrant excessive vomiting. James felt he did well, for he had memorized and practiced the Four theories of Transfiguration. He was, after all, an Animagus and had achieved it at a very young age, faster than Sirius and Peter. He looked over his answers, was satisfied, then carried the essay to McGonagall's desk. She took it then told him he may leave quietly.
He gathered his things, winked at Peter, who was slightly green though he shouldn't be, then left. James walked up to the common room and found a chair, and decided to get started on his Rune essay that had been assigned yesterday. It wasn't due for two weeks, but James liked to get a head start and have it off his mind.
He had just stared it when John Jones, a sixth year boy who'd tried out for an empty Chaser position, came up to him looking grim. "Have you heard?" he asked.
James shrugged and looked back at the book he had been using to support his argument. "Heard what?"
John sat down and leaned forward across the table. "Well, maybe it's not true, but I thought for sure you'd heard it."
Sirius entered the common room, found James, and ran his hand through his thick black hair.
"Don't keep me in suspense, John," James said. "What is it?"
"Well," John said, waiting for Sirius to sit down. "Well, I heard a few Slytherins talking about it. I guess Snape asked out Evans to Hogsmeade."
James was not bothered by this. His first instinct was to laugh. In fact, he did laugh. "You're kidding me," he said, chuckling. The image of greasy Snape going anywhere with the clean cut, pretty, and witty Lily was a funny one.
"They were saying she said 'yes.' I guess Snape's really looking forward to it."
James opened his mouth to speak but no words fell from his lips. It was only a rumor, though farfetched. But Snape had been exceptionally pleased with himself this morning, knowing something he didn't. Surely Lily wasn't masochist enough to spend extra time with Snape? How could she be? Besides, Snape was too arrogant to associate with a Muggle-born witch, however pretty or talented she may be. It had to be a rumor. Didn't it?
"No way," Sirius said before James could. "She wouldn't. It's against house rules to associate with a slimy git like that. She wouldn't spend the entire day with him either. Who would?"
James still couldn't form words. Why would Snape be so pleased, if it was only a rumor? He knew, everyone knew, James fancied Lily. Granted he wasn't the only one vying for her heart, but James had made it perfectly clear he liked her. Snape had to know. He wasn't stupid, no matter what Sirius may say about him.
Someone had come through the portrait hole: Lily. James shot out of his chair, as did Sirius and walked toward her.
She didn't seem surprised to see them confront her, but she wouldn't back down. "Yes?" she asked them both. "May I help you with something?"
"You're not going to Hogsmeade with Snivelly, are you?" James asked, not really thinking about his word choice. "It's only a rumor, yes?"
Lily raised an eyebrow. "It's not a rumor. He asked, I said yes."
James shook his head and closed his eyes. "Okay, I just had a brain fart. So you're not going with him to the village on Saturday?"
Sirius looked dumbstruck.
"I am going with him."
There was a howling wind in James's ears, a war drum beating in his chest, and a fire blazing just beneath his skin, threatening to burn him alive. "What?" he asked, his fists clenched, his jaw set, his teeth grinding. "What?"
Lily dropped her book bag at her feet and pointed to herself as she annunciated very clearly: "I am going with Severus to Hogsmeade this Saturday. He asked, I said 'yes.' Besides," she said, picking up her bag again, "I'm sure you're going with that whore in Ravenclaw. Why should you care what I do."
James was sure his face was fire red, at least it felt that way. "I care. You can't go with him!" he yelled.
Lily walked around him and started up the stairs to her dormitory. James grabbed her by the shoulder and swung her around. Lily dropped her bag, pulled out her wand in a flash, and James flew to the opposite wall.
"Don't think it, Sirius," Lily said, pointing her wand at him as he drew it out. "It's not your business, either of you, what I do in my free time." She rounded on James, who stood up and brushed himself off. "We're working on a project together, like it or not."
"Oh yeah, I'm sure that's why he asked you!" James said.
"Well, there's probably the added bonus that you're as mad as hell," Lily said. "But you'll have to deal with it, won't you? Learn to control that temper of yours."
"I have a temper?" he asked. "You're the one who attacked me. Look, I don't trust that slimy bastard. He'll do something to you, I just know it. He'll attack you, or slip you poison, something. He's an aspiring Death Eater, Lily! Stay away from him!"
"I don't need your protection! I can handle myself, in case you haven't noticed. Back off!" James didn't rush her but he was thinking about it. He stood just two feet from her, wanting to just shake some sense into her.
"Don't go with him," he said.
Lily laughed. "Where do you get off ordering me around, huh?"
By now there was a small crowd gathering, not bothering to pretend to be listening to anything else. Remus and Peter had just come through the hole and were watching shamelessly.
"I know him, Lily. He's not…he's just not good, okay?"
"Pathetic," Lily said. "You don't have anything except prejudice."
"That's not true," James said. "I've known him longer than you have, trust me on this. Just stay away from him, please!"
"No. You're not my father, my brother, and you're certainly not my boyfriend. You have no right to boss me around. Now get out of my face!" she screamed, pointing her wand again, but James grabbed her wrist and pointed it away just as a hex flew out of her wand. Lily pulled back, but James held tight. So used the last weapon she had. She punched him, hard, in the face with her free hand. James released her and Lily pelted up the stairs.
James stared at her for a second before running after her, but the staircase flattened and he fell backwards, landed on his back, and slid back to the common room floor. He heard the girls' dormitory door slam.
Fine then. If she wasn't going to change her plans, then Snape would have to change his. James pushed himself off the floor, felt his face begin to swell, then left the common room and started for the dungeons. Sirius, Remus, and Peter followed right behind him.
"James," Remus said warily, jogging to keep up with James, who was taking long strides.
"There's nothing you can say to stop me. He will not go anywhere with her, so help me God."
"I think he has a free period next, Prongs," Sirius said with glee. "But since he's so busy with that essay, he'll probably be in the library. We should check there first then the loos nearest the dungeons. Otherwise we'll have to wait until the next class."
James reversed the order. Since he was already near the dungeons he simply blasted through the toilet doors and checked for Snape. But Snape wasn't in any of them. So the four of them marched up to the library looking for Snape everywhere.
"Maybe he's on the grounds," Sirius said, as they left, having no luck in finding him. James was already on his way, wand out and ready. And that's exactly where Snape was. He was out in the courtyard, chatting with a few of his Slytherin pals, looking pleased.
He saw James coming but didn't raise his own wand. He simply stood and smiled to himself. "Well, well, Potter and his band of merry men."
James assumed the dueling stance, as did Sirius and Peter. Snape remained still, his friends the same. They seemed unconcerned, as if James was very petty.
"Stay away from her," James warned.
Snape's lip curled. "Touching, I'm sure. But no."
"Don't be a fool," James said. "I won't let you hurt her."
Snape sniggered. "I don't plan on hurting anyone. Our plans have nothing to do with pain. Unless she likes it like it that way," he added.
A white band of light blasted out of James's wand and struck Snape in the chest, sending him flying no less than fifteen feet. He advanced on him, Sirius and Peter behind him.
But one of Snape's pals had decided to retaliate. He aimed at Sirius, but Sirius struck first. Peter wanted a bit of the action and attacked an unarmed Slytherin with the full body bind. Snape was already on his feet and pulled out his wand but didn't aim. James blasted him again, this time with the Jelly Leg Curse, causing Snape to dance around like a buffoon. Students ran over to see what the commotion was about, and they weren't the only ones.
Remus had finally used a curse to defend himself against a large Slytherin, when Professor Slughorn found them fighting.
"Remove that hex, Mr. Potter!" he yelled at James, and James obeyed. Snape was one of his favorites, naturally.
"My office, now!" Slughorn told the four of them, ignoring that a few of his Slytherins had been fighting. James glared down at Snape then stormed down to Slughorns's office. Sirius, Remus, and Peter stood with him. He didn't feel bad that they too would get detention. He never asked them to come.
"I saw the whole thing from a window. You just attacked Severus, without reason. Sirius needn't have entered at all, nor the two of you," he said, looking at Peter and Remus. "Those boys were defending themselves. Why did you attack them?" he asked James.
The real reason would not go over well. But then again he couldn't think of anything else to say. So he shrugged. James was good at potions but did not have the natural talent that Lily or Snape had. Slughorn had favored them over him, but hadn't let his name escape into obscurity like Peter's and Remus's had. In any event, he knew they'd never escape detention, which is what Snape had been planning on, James realized.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to give you detention this Saturday," he said with a sigh.
"What about tonight or Friday?" James suggested. If it was Saturday then Snape would take Lily down to the village without having to worry about being followed or watched.
"No. No Hogsmeade for those who bully. It's final," he said, as James opened his mouth to argue.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Hours later James sat in the common room, hating himself for being so thick. In hindsight is was perfectly obvious that Snape had planned everything. Not even Remus, who had been a reluctant participant, could tail them into the village. Snape hadn't raised his wand once, so that anyone who saw would know he'd done nothing to instigate a fight. He had been banking on the others to come with him, as they always did, guaranteeing that the four of them would land in detention on Saturday.
Sirius didn't seem as bothered by all of this, and Remus really said nothing about it at all. Only Peter agreed with James as he worried about Lily's safety and well being.
Next morning, James skipped going to breakfast. He couldn't stand to see Snape looking extra pleased, and he didn't want to talk to Samantha, though he did want to end it with her. She was rather bland. So instead he went directly to his first class and waited for Sirius to find him there. Neither Remus nor Peter took Ancient Runes.
"Whole school knows," Sirius said as he threw himself in a chair next to James. "Good thing you weren't there, mate. Snivelly was incredible. Almost put the Imperius curse on him to make him jump on the table and sing."
Lily didn't take Runes either, so they were in no danger of seeing her. While the class went on, James and Sirius tried to think of a way to keep Snape as far away from Lily as possible. She was being naive, they concluded, for wanting to go anywhere with him and thinking it was safe. Sirius suggested slipping something in Lily's coffee and making her a little ill on Saturday, forcing her to cancel. "I mean would you rather she's just puking for the day or out with that git?" Sirius had reasoned. The idea had it's merits. Lily was in their own house, and slipping her something would be far easier than it would to poison Snape.
"She'd know it was us," James mumbled as he took notes. "We've already made a big deal about it, haven't we?"
Everyone knew that Lily had socked James in the face. He suspected that Lily had told everyone to admire her handy work. He'd been too embarrassed to go to the Hospital wing, where Pomfrey would ask, "What now?" He didn't want to tell her he'd been hit by a girl. Though after everyone laughed at him, he wished he'd just gotten it fixed. There was now a fist shaped bruise just below his right eye.
"She's got a good left hook," Sirius said, examining the battle wound a little closer. "She really put some power behind that one. Does it still hurt?"
"No," James said coldly. "I can't believe she hit me."
"She's pretty feisty. You sure you still want her?"
"Yes," James said, as he went back to his notes. Though he wouldn't admit it, he was secretly impressed with her resolve. If she'd hit him, she'd certainly beat Snape into the ground if he tried anything with her. She wasn't one to take it lying down, or even at all. Lily had guts.
o-o-o-o-o-o
James didn't sleep the night before Saturday. He dressed before the sun rose and waited in the common room, hoping to intercept Lily for one final barrage of pleas. When she did come down from her dorm, looking as lovely as ever with her hair in curls, she barely acknowledged his existence.
"I'm begging you not to go," he said, walking backwards as she advanced to the portrait hole.
"Leave me alone," she muttered.
"You shouldn't trust him," he protested, now blocking the way out. "He's evil."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Get out of my way before I beat the life out of you."
James stepped aside and she continued through the portrait hole. James followed. "If he tries anything on you, will you beat the life out of him? Is that a promise?"
Lily sighed. "He's not stupid, James."
"So that's a 'yes' then?"
She tried ignoring him all the way down to the entrance hall, but he tailed her the entire way, pleading, begging, and warning her. Finally she swung around, wand raised, and said in a tone with clear resolve and finality: "As inept as I may look, I am capable of defending myself against predators like you or any other foolish wizard who invades my personal space. Now back off and get yourself to detention where you belong."
Snape was standing in a corner, smirking over at James as he waited for Lily. She made to turn and leave, but James caught her hand.
"Listen, please," he said as she whirled around ready to give him a matching bruise for the left side of his face. "Just be careful. Please be careful, okay?" he said.
Lily's mouth twitched as she looked down at his hand holding hers. "James—"
"I know you're capable. But he's sneaky and sly and he knows what you mean to me. Just watch out for yourself, okay?" he asked gently.
Lily swallowed. She gazed up into his eyes and bit her lip as she nodded. "I will. Now please get to detention so you don't get into any more trouble." She pulled her hand out of his, letting her fingers slide through his palm, then turned and left. As she walked down the steps with Snape, she turned once and waved at him, giving him the slightest smile possible.
He thought of her all the way through detention, causing him to have to restart his lines (I will not attack my fellow students, in broad daylight, unless it's for personal defense), for he'd inserted her name into a few of them.
"Pay attention," Remus whispered, nudging him in the ribs as James had just written I will only attack my fellow students, in broad daylight, if Lily's honor is being threatened and Snape is trying to hurt her, for so help me God I'll skin him alive. James blackened the line and started again, trying not to think of Lily and Snape together. But that was nearly impossible. Supposedly, according to Lily, they were just getting supplies for their potions project. If they strayed away from the apothecary, it would be for a drink to discuss the potions project. It was strictly a working relationship, not a real friendship and certainly not a romance.
But his mind kept drifting into the worse possible scenarios. He wouldn't put it past Snape to try something with her, just to get revenge on James. Perhaps he'd slip her a poison, try to touch her inappropriately, trap her and let his friends bully her or worse, have their way with her. She'd give them hell for it, but if there were too many she couldn't defend herself.
"Watch it!" Remus whispered, pointing to the punctured parchment.
I will kill Snape, in broad daylight, if he touches her in any way whatsoever, in personal defense and I won't be sorry about it, either. James crossed it out and started again.
Four hours and seven hundred lines later, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and James were dismissed from detention and told to go directly back to their common room, not to Hogsmeade.
"Don't risk it," Remus said as James eyed the corridor leading out of Hogwarts. "Just come back and wait with us," he said again as they passed the hump-backed witch that guarded a passageway to Honeydukes. "Lily's ballsy," Sirius said as they entered the common room. "Snape would be suicidal to attack her. Not only would she thoroughly kick his arse, but then he'd come here and you'd kick it again."
James took a seat by the window and watched outside. Sirius and Remus both had good points. Lily wasn't afraid to hurt someone if needed. She used her fists if she couldn't use her wand. She had an amazingly powerful left hook. Secondly, if Lily had as much as a hair on her head harmed, James would flay Snape alive. Snape knew this. He was a lot of things, but he didn't have a death wish.
Still, his mind was not at ease. He'd feel much better once she came back safely from Hogsmeade and he could check her over.
"She's a powerful witch," Remus said as he moved his knight forward. He and Sirius were engaged in a game of chess. Remus had just beaten Peter, so now he got to play Sirius, who was very good at the game. "Stop worrying about her."
James looked at the time. It was three in the afternoon. "Snape's a powerful wizard when he wants to be."
Sirius sighed. "I think you need to stop sitting there. Get off your fat arse and do something. Go break up with Sam."
"Yes," Remus agreed, staring down at the chessboard. "Go do that."
"I don't know where she is," James said, pressing his head on the window. "If I had the map, I'd be able to find her. However, someone lost it."
"Someone is sorry, but there's nothing he can do about it. But someone also knows that Sam likes to hang around the Charms corridor on Hogsmeade weekends," Sirius said, then grinned over at Remus. "Checkmate."
James sighed then pulled himself out of his chair and left the common room in search of Sam. He kept checking behind him, ensuring that Lily or Snape weren't coming toward him. They weren't.
He was astounded, once more, by Sirius's excellent intuition. Samantha was indeed in the Charm's corridor, her lips glued to Tom, the ex-boyfriend. James didn't care. This would make it easier. He walked up to her, tapped her shoulder, and she pulled away not looking surprised to see him.
"Hi," she said.
"How's it going?" James asked with a head nod. "I just want you to know that I'm breaking up with you."
Samantha smiled and nodded, then looked back at Tom, who appeared drugged. His eyes were out of focus and he swayed on the spot. James couldn't blame him—Samantha was a good kisser.
"Okay then. I'll see you around," she said, then went back to snogging Tom senseless. James turned on his heal and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he made his way back to the common room.
"Has she come back?" he asked Peter, throwing himself back into his chair by the window.
"No," Peter said, his face scrunched. Now he was playing Sirius. James didn't play chess, but by the looks of it, Peter was losing miserably.
"Find her?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah. She's back together with that Tom bloke."
"Figures," Sirius said sighing a bit. He picked up Peter's rook and added it to his pile.
James watched as Remus and Sirius practiced dueling each other in the middle of the common room floor, for a few hours. At first the duel seemed lighthearted and merely for practice, but Sirius's enthusiasm doubled once Remus knocked him down with the Jelly-Legs curse, causing the lookers on to laugh quite loudly. Remus met his enthusiasm until they both wiped each other out simultaneously with the full body bind. Everyone applauded them (for more than fifty people had decided to watch), and Peter unfroze them both.
"Rematch!" Sirius said, but Remus would have none of it.
"No thanks. I'm exhausted. Duel Peter or James."
Peter declined and James kept looking out the window, beginning to worry because night was falling and she still hadn't returned. He was walking briskly toward his dormitory to retrieve his Invisibility Cloak, when the Fat Lady's door finally opened and Lily strode in looking worn.
James fought his way through the crowd to get to her. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Lily frowned as she nodded. "Of course."
"Why are you back so late?" he asked.
"We decided to push through and just finish the article. So we did. Then we met Slughorn in the afternoon at the Three Broomsticks, he read it over, gushed, told us how brilliant we were, we tried to be humble but there isn't any point denying it, then sent it off to be published. Slughorn treated us to dinner, telling us how wonderful we were, then we came back. There was no hexing, cursing, or any attempts to defame my character or my person, and no touching. Happy?" she asked.
James exhaled a sigh he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Yes. I'm glad it's over with."
"Right," Lily said. She sidestepped him then started towards the stairs.
James closed his eyes and nodded to himself. He was going to do it. He'd been thinking about it this afternoon when he wasn't busy being worried. But now was the time.
"Lily?" he said, standing at the bottom of the stairs and looking up.
She turned and looked down at him. "What is it?"
He licked his lips then tried to organize his thoughts. "I know I've asked you 133 times before and each time you've said 'no.' But before I ask now I want you to know that I like you. A lot." He paused then smirked. "Maybe you've noticed," he said.
Lily's lip twitched but she didn't smile.
"So here's the thing. I'm just going to ask once more, because I don't want to bother you again with the same thing. If you tell me 'no' then I'll leave you alone. I won't be your stalker and I'll try not to harm anyone who comes near you with the intent of touching you." He took a deep breath. "Do you want to go out with me?" he asked, his heart hammering louder and harder than it ever had before when he'd asked her. This would be the last time. If she didn't want him, she didn't want him and he'd have to get over her.
Lily stared at him for a moment then looked at her feet. "Well, I—"
"If you need time to think about it, that's okay too," James added breathlessly before she could finish.
Lily smirked. "I don't need more time to think it over," she said. She came back down the steps and looked around the room. No one was paying them any attention. They were all watching as Sirius dueled a fifth year boy.
"You have an answer now?" James asked. His mouth had gone dry all of a sudden.
Lily nodded.
"So what is it?" he asked, trying to sound casual as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.
Lily's smirk turned into a grin. "Why the hell not?" she said. "Let's give it a go."
If possible his heart hammered faster. "Yes?" he asked.
Lily beamed at him. "Yes."
James laughed, at what he didn't know, but he had to laugh. Lily kept grinning but put her hands on his shoulders and said, "I don't date bullies."
"Of course not," he said.
"No hexing, fighting, cursing, or picking on Snape or anyone else, or it's over."
"I understand completely," James told her, beside himself with glee.
"Good. And—" she hesitated as she watched Sirius put a giggling charm on his opponent, sending him into a loud and distracting cacophony of laughter, "let's not tell anyone about it."
James frowned. "Why not?"
Lily shrugged as a guilty smile spread on her flushed face. "I've never had a good secret. Well, not one I'm happy about at least."
James nodded slowly. "I guess I could do that."
"Really? You're not going to tell the Three Musketeers about it, then? You promise?"
James turned and looked at them again. They were still not watching James speak with Lily. Maybe, he thought, it would be best to keep it secret, just for now. Sirius would be bothered by it, for some strange reason of his. Remus had been acting odd about any interaction between him and Lily, and only Peter seemed eager to hear about new developments in the Lily James soap opera. James faced Lily again. "Let's give you a secret then."
A sly look crossed her face momentarily. "Brilliant. I'll hold you to your word, then." She whirled around and started up stairs but James took her hands and held her back.
"So does that mean I can't kiss you goodnight?" he asked, smiling. "Secret or not, you still are my girlfriend now."
Lily chuffed. "Don't push your luck."
James let go of her hands. "You know, I sensed I was pushing it," he said.
Lily giggled. "Goodnight," she said. She put her hands on his chest, stood on the tips of her toes, and kissed his cheek. Without another word, she turned around and jogged up the stairs. James waited until her ankles disappeared from view and strode out of the common room without looking or speaking to anyone. Once out in the hall he jumped up, punched the air, and yelled at the top of his lungs: "YES!"