Chapter 3

Wrath of the Slytherins

Lily sat down in the library and sighed. She pulled out her charms book and started to catch up on their first class, when: "Well, look, if it isn't the mudblood," Bellatrix Lestrange was standing right behind her.

"What are you doing in the library Lestrange, seeing your grades, I thought you didn't go," Lily retorted, determined not to turn around and curse Bellatrix to hell.

"At least I don't live here," she taunted in her shrill voice

Lily turned around. "Maybe I do live here, but it's probably better than living in Slytherin." She said, grabbing her books. Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. "I'll get you for that mudblood," she said, and spun on her heel and walked away.

Lily walked out of the library, thinking about what Bellatrix had said. She wasn't scared of Bellatrix Lestrange. But she was afraid of Lucius Malfoy, and he was one of Bellatrix's best friends.

Lily went back to the head's common room, and looked for James, but he wasn't there. She still felt bad about yelling at James, and it was starting to get to her. She sank into an armchair by the fire and shut her eyes. She wanted this feeling to go away. She hates Potter, so why does she feel so guilty? She pulled out her wand and conjured up a thick pillow, buried her face in it, and screamed as loud as she could.

"Um, should I come back later?" It was Potter. He had seen her. She slowly let the pillow fall away from her face.

"You always have to come at exactly the wrong time don't you Potter,"

"Hey, I'm just wondering what's wrong,"

"Nothing James, I'm fine," She clapped her hands over her mouth. She called him James. Why did she call him James?

Because you like him. Said a tiny voice in her head.

I do not!

Yes you do! The argument in her head went on and on before she finally won. She did NOT like James Potter.

"Er, I just wanted to say that we have to go patrol the halls," he said. He wondered why she just called him James. I mean, He was fine with it but, she never calls him James. He just couldn't figure out why.

The next morning, when he got out of bed, he found that Lily had already gone to breakfast. He sighed and got dressed, and trudged down to the Main Hall. When he got to breakfast he found his friends and Lily sitting at the Gryffindor table. He sat down in between Sirius and Lily.

"Good morning Evans, hey Padfoot," said James. Lily just ignored him.

"Hey Prongs, want some eggs before I eat them all?"

"Uh, no thanks Padfoot," he said, watching Sirius shovel food into his mouth. Remus was behind a book, and Peter was eating silently.

"Well, I'm off," said Remus, finally closing his book.

"I'll go with him," said Taylor, hurrying after him, her jet black hair trailing behind her. "Hey Remus, wait up!"

"Oh, hi Taylor," said Remus, feeling the butterflies rise into his stomach.

"Um, what class do you have first?" asked Taylor, desperately trying to make conversation.

"Er, potions,"

"Oh, well, I've got transfiguration, so I've got to go this way," said Taylor, pointing up the staircase. "Uh, see ya." She said feeling depressed.

"Uh, Taylor wait up!" he called rushing up the stairs after her. She stopped and turned around. Remus took a deep breath and said: "Um, do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?"

Taylor's face lit up. "Yeah, sure!" she said. "Well, I've got to go to class, see you later!" and she turned and continued up the stairs.

(back at breakfast)

James kept taking brief looks at Lily, who continued to ignore him.

"Well, I'm going," she said, and without a word to James, hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and walked out of the main hall.

"Yeah, we're gonna go too," said Sirius, and he and Hannah left, with Olivia following not too far behind, leaving James and Kelsey alone.

"You've got transfiguration right?" Sirius asked Hannah.

"Yeah, oh that sucks, I'm not going to see you until lunch," she said in a fake pouting voice.

"It's okay, I'll see you later,"

"I guess," it seemed awkward. It was like a cauldron cake without any frosting. The end of the conversation was out in the open. As though he knew that she was thinking this, he bent over a little and pressed his lips to hers.

"See you at lunch," he said, feeling something glow inside him. Hannah couldn't stop smiling, and she bowed her head and ran off to transfiguration. Little did she know, Olivia had seen the entire thing. And she was going to get Sirius if it was the last thing she ever did. But she couldn't help feeling guilty. I mean, shouldn't she be happy for her friend? But she was torn. Hannah was one of her best friends, but she also likes Sirius, and she didn't know what to do.

James started walking to Potions when he looked outside. He saw Lily under a tree, reading a book by the lake. Instead of turning the corner to the dungeons, he continued walking over to the tree. But he saw the look on her face when she looked up, and turned and walked to another tree.

Damn Potter. Why does he always have to follow me? Lily thought as she turned the page of the book that she wasn't actually reading. She laid her eyes back on the page, when suddenly three shadows came over it. Lily tipped her head up and recognized the emblem of Slytherin on their robes. She looked up even more and saw Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus Snape, and Lucius Malfoy. Lily plunged her hand into her robes, but the moment her want was out, Snape yelled Expelliarmus and her wand flew out of her hand.

"Well hello Mudblood," said Malfoy, a sly look on his face. Lily jumped up, but as soon as she did, Malfoy and Snape grabbed her and threw her to the ground. She rolled over, and looked at James by the other tree, silently begging him to come to her rescue. But he wasn't looking.

Why am I thinking this? I'm being beaten up by a pack of Slytherins and I'm depending on James Potter for a rescue? Come on Evans, you can do better then that.

James forced himself not to look over at Lily. He kept his eyes on his book, and tried to block out all sound.

Maybe if she thinks I'm studying she'll like me. I mean, she's the smartest in our year, studying may get her attention.

Trying to erase these thoughts from his mind, James remembered that he actually did have class. He glanced at his watch.

Bloody hell, I have to get to potions!

He shut his book, and tucked it into his bag. He looked to see if Lily was still there, even though he expected her to be in class. She wasn't by the tree. She was on the ground, at the mercy of Malfoy, Snape, and Lestrange. And she was looking right at him. He saw the look in her eyes and knew. He dropped his bag as Lily started to get up, but Bellatrix shouted: "Impedimenta!" And Lily was knocked to the floor again.

James plunged his hand into his robes and in a split second Bellatrix Lestrange was hanging upside down. Everyone was watching him now. But when James looked back at Lily, she being thrown into the lake by Malfoy, (by magic, of course). James pointed his wand at Malfoy and cried: "Stupefy!" and Malfoy was unconscious. Now was just Snivellus. "Impedimenta!" he cried as Snape began his own spell, and Snape was hurled backwards into the tree. He checked them all. Bellatrix was still hanging hopelessly in the air; Malfoy and Snape were both knocked out.

He turned to Lily, who was beginning to crawl out of the lake whenall of a sudden she went back under. As she went down, a giant tentacle rose back up.

The Squid!

Before he knew what he was doing, James dove into the lake after her. It was freezing cold and he was running out of air. Then he had and idea. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at his head. Immediately it looked as though he was wearing an upside down fish bowl, but it did the trick. He swam deeper until he caught a glimpse of amber hair. He reached down and found Lily's wrist. He pulled and began to swim to the surface. He pulled Lily up and onto the ground, but before he could get out himself, he felt a slimy tentacle slide around his ankle, and soon, he was in the lake again, with only one thing on his mind. And it stunned him what it was. Was Lily okay?

Lily opened her eyes. She was sopping wet, coughing, and for some reason, everyone was staring at the lake, apparently anxious about something. Then she remembered. The Slytherins threw her into the lake, and she went under. She remembered someone grabbing her wrist, but she must have passed out before she got to the surface. And judging by the unconscious Slytherins and nervous bystanders, James was in the water.

Lily felt something she hadn't felt before now. She was worried, and about Potter. She sat up and stared at the water. She didn't know how to feel, relieved, worried, or angry. For some reason she didn't know, she chose worried. Suddenly, she changed to relief, but not because she was out of the lake. She could see someone in the lake, and with a closer look, she could see that it was James swimming back up. Realizing what her expression must look like, she tried to change it to tired and coughing again, so that Potter wouldn't get the wrong idea.

When James emerged in his bubble head, he was…smiling?

"Well hello Evans. Do you like my workmanship on your friends?" he said, pointing to the unconscious Slytherins. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Yes, very nice Potter, I especially like the fact that Bellatrix Lestrange will now go spreading rumors that you saved me again,"

"Hey, I did didn't I? Oh, and now that I've saved you again, how about going to Hogsmeade with me?"

"Don't push it Potter," and with that she reached her hand down, and pulled James up onto solid ground.

Sorry it was so long! I just couldn't stop writing, I got so caught up! Again, I say I hope I didn't accidentally copy anyone! Update coming soon! I say again R&R PLEASE!