a/n: Be warned, the next chapters will contain fluff. If you don't like it
just skip to the parts where they're figuring out stuff.
Many apologies for taking so very long with this chapter. I have been so busy you wouldn't believe.
Also, school is back in, so I will be updating about only once a week. I am very, very busy, so don't get all cut at me if I'm not so quick updating.
******
After much fussing, wriggling, crawling and pulling, Lily got James into the bath. They both winced against the light streaming through the window. James (who was only in his boxers at the time, Lily had refused to undress him any more than that) turned on the tap marked "Warm and Bubbly", and water started to pour from it. Lily walked out the door, telling James to call her when he was done.
James relaxed and let out a sigh. What a night! And what a party! He honestly never thought that him and Lily would ever get together. He had to be careful with her though, and not push any boundaries too soon. Other girls he just messed with for a bit of fun (and because he was a 17 year old male at his sexual peak. Have you met a guy that age that doesn't want sex?).
But Lily wasn't like other girls. She made him feel humble and insignificant. She had no care for who someone was in the social scheme of things, just who they were as a person. It amazed James that, stripped of his Quidditch and popularity that Lily liked him. He had always seen himself for a person who never really cared for the affairs of others, except from the rare few who got close to him. Sure, he was a naturally charming guy who cared about other people, but it was all on the surface for him. The thought had never really crossed James' mind that he was a good person underneath it all.
He loved being with Lily, and nothing, not even death could take his love for her from him.
******
It was official. James Potter and Lily Evans were a couple. It took no less than three hours from the time that Lily and James walked/wheeled into breakfast together to get around the school. It was unfortunate that it was a Hogsmeade weekend, not in that going to Hogsmeade was bad, just that the would have people following them everywhere they went.
James was getting a bit annoyed at the public interest in him and Lily. He had planned to keep it quiet for a while, but unfortunately made the mistake of holding her hand as they made their entrance.
He was, however, getting some feeling back in his legs. During his bath, he had discovered that he could wriggle his toes, and by the end of his bath, he had complete control from his ankles down. He made an error in telling Lily this; she could tickle his feet without him being able to do anything about it.
James decided to skip the Hogsmeade trip. Well, not exactly miss it completely, but just go somewhere else. He hoped that Lily would like it.
******
Lily sat on James' lap. He had charmed the wheels of his chair so as they moved at his command.
"James, where are we going?" asked a puzzled Lily.
James ignored this comment and told the wheelchair to stop.
"Go and get that long branch." He instructed Lily. Confused, Lily did as she was told. It was beyond her why James had brought her here to the whomping willow. Usually, people avoided it at all costs. But then again, he was James after all.
Handing the branch to James, she watched as he went in closer to the trunk. A branch was coming down on him when the tree froze completely. James had poked the trunk with the branch.
"How did you do that?" asked Lily, amazed.
"It doesn't matter," he said, looking back at her, "follow me."
******
The passage was long and dark, but eventually the pair came up into a dingy shack. It was relatively empty, except from some hacked-up furniture.
"James, where are we?" Lily asked. She had absolutely no idea why James would bring her to a place like this, or even how he knew of it. She looked over at him.
James was smiling to himself and pulling himself out of his wheelchair and onto a torn couch. He motioned for her to come and sit next to him. When she was seated, he started.
"You are not to repeat what I am about to tell you to anyone. I am about to share with you one of the best-kept secrets Hogwarts has seen to date. You, my dear, are in the shrieking shack."
Lily looked scared. "But James, its haunted! Let's go!"
James slowly shook his head. "But that is where you are wrong. This place has never been and is not haunted. Let me tell you the story." He paused, searching for the right words.
"A few years ago, Sirius and I were worried about our friend Remus. You know how he's always getting sick? Well, we worked out why. He's a werewolf."
Lily gasped but was too intrigued by the story to interrupt.
"You know the stories about all the howling here? That's him. Well," James continued, "We confronted him with all the information we had. He didn't deny it. He told us the story of how he'd been bitten as a child. The three of us then proceeded to work non-stop on finding a cure for it, but nothing we tried worked, although we did invent a potion to make you have Dracula teeth for a week. But that's beside the point.
"We told Peter. One night, when it was full moon and Remus was here, we came up with the answer. Actually, it was Sirius' idea, initially. Then we all sort of added our own bits and came up with a plan. We were going to learn how to be animagi.
"It took a lot of time and effort, and the whole time we kept it from Remus. Then, on his fifteenth birthday, we gave him his present. We told him that from now on, he no longer had to be alone when he transformed. You see, a werewolf will attack humans, but it won't attack other animals very often."
Lily looked at him. "That's amazing! How did you do it? What can you turn into? Who else knows?"
James laughed at the stream of questions. "So may questions! One at a time!"
Lily blushed. "I'm sorry," she said, meekly, "I'm just so shocked that I don't know what to ask first!"
"Well, let me start with the main one. You know how we marauders have names for each other?"
Lily nodded. "Yes. You're Prongs, right?"
"Yup. I'm Prongs because I can turn into a stag. Remus is Moony for obvious reasons. Sirius is Padfoot because he's this whopping great black dog. And Peter is Wormtail because he's a rat.
"So there you have it." James said. "Now you know the biggest secret in the school." He laughed. "Bet that wasn't what you were expecting, was it?"
Lily had so many questions to ask, and she was about to start when James put a hand over her mouth. He motioned for her to keep still.
"Are we all here then?" said a gruff voice outside. There were several grunts. "Looks like we're just waiting for Snape then." They waited in silence. In a few moments, they heard footsteps crunching on the gravel.
"I'm here, now where's is it?" Lily recognized Snape's voice.
"Where's what?"
"Yeah, what makes you think that we'd have something for you, Sevvie?"
"The only thing we'll ever give you is face full of fist."
"You're not even good enough to be talking to us."
Lily looked over at James. He had taken his hand from her mouth. Lily tapped him on the shoulder.
'Who is it with Snape?' she whispered at him.
'Slytherin Quidditch team.' He whispered back at her before turning his attention back to the people outside.
"Now listen here," Snape said, his voice rising, "The deal was that I take out Potter so he can't play Quidditch and you give me back my book."
There were several chuckles. "And why should we give it back? Why would you need a stupid book that you can't even read? I mean, it's all a bunch of jibberish."
"It is not jibberish!" protested Snape, "I – I just need it so I can keep Potter out of action. I need to know how to finish it off!"
The Slytherin Quidditch team paused here. They didn't know what to say.
"Well, I suppose we can give it back to you then, but if you want it back, there's one more thing we need you to do for us." He waited for Severus to say something. "We want you to take out Evans for us too." He continued when Snape said nothing. "I mean, get her so bad she'll be sent home. Not only is she a mudblood, but she's how we can hurt Potter the most. You have three days."
"The book first." Snape wasn't going anywhere without it. "I need it to keep Potter out of the way if I'm to get to Evans."
There was the sound of people walking away and then a *THUMP* as something hit the wall. Through a crack, they saw Snape bend down to pick up what had hit the wall. He laughed.
"Idiots." He muttered to himself. "Now that I have Salazar Slytherin's notebook back, no-one can stop me."
******
a/n: I am so so so so so sorry about leaving you guys hanging there, but it had to be done. This chapter is long. I will update next weekend if I'm allowed on the computer.
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Thanks Sarah, Steppi, Jules and Viv for reading it! I luv you.
Meh. I luv Michael too. He's my Fred.
Many apologies for taking so very long with this chapter. I have been so busy you wouldn't believe.
Also, school is back in, so I will be updating about only once a week. I am very, very busy, so don't get all cut at me if I'm not so quick updating.
******
After much fussing, wriggling, crawling and pulling, Lily got James into the bath. They both winced against the light streaming through the window. James (who was only in his boxers at the time, Lily had refused to undress him any more than that) turned on the tap marked "Warm and Bubbly", and water started to pour from it. Lily walked out the door, telling James to call her when he was done.
James relaxed and let out a sigh. What a night! And what a party! He honestly never thought that him and Lily would ever get together. He had to be careful with her though, and not push any boundaries too soon. Other girls he just messed with for a bit of fun (and because he was a 17 year old male at his sexual peak. Have you met a guy that age that doesn't want sex?).
But Lily wasn't like other girls. She made him feel humble and insignificant. She had no care for who someone was in the social scheme of things, just who they were as a person. It amazed James that, stripped of his Quidditch and popularity that Lily liked him. He had always seen himself for a person who never really cared for the affairs of others, except from the rare few who got close to him. Sure, he was a naturally charming guy who cared about other people, but it was all on the surface for him. The thought had never really crossed James' mind that he was a good person underneath it all.
He loved being with Lily, and nothing, not even death could take his love for her from him.
******
It was official. James Potter and Lily Evans were a couple. It took no less than three hours from the time that Lily and James walked/wheeled into breakfast together to get around the school. It was unfortunate that it was a Hogsmeade weekend, not in that going to Hogsmeade was bad, just that the would have people following them everywhere they went.
James was getting a bit annoyed at the public interest in him and Lily. He had planned to keep it quiet for a while, but unfortunately made the mistake of holding her hand as they made their entrance.
He was, however, getting some feeling back in his legs. During his bath, he had discovered that he could wriggle his toes, and by the end of his bath, he had complete control from his ankles down. He made an error in telling Lily this; she could tickle his feet without him being able to do anything about it.
James decided to skip the Hogsmeade trip. Well, not exactly miss it completely, but just go somewhere else. He hoped that Lily would like it.
******
Lily sat on James' lap. He had charmed the wheels of his chair so as they moved at his command.
"James, where are we going?" asked a puzzled Lily.
James ignored this comment and told the wheelchair to stop.
"Go and get that long branch." He instructed Lily. Confused, Lily did as she was told. It was beyond her why James had brought her here to the whomping willow. Usually, people avoided it at all costs. But then again, he was James after all.
Handing the branch to James, she watched as he went in closer to the trunk. A branch was coming down on him when the tree froze completely. James had poked the trunk with the branch.
"How did you do that?" asked Lily, amazed.
"It doesn't matter," he said, looking back at her, "follow me."
******
The passage was long and dark, but eventually the pair came up into a dingy shack. It was relatively empty, except from some hacked-up furniture.
"James, where are we?" Lily asked. She had absolutely no idea why James would bring her to a place like this, or even how he knew of it. She looked over at him.
James was smiling to himself and pulling himself out of his wheelchair and onto a torn couch. He motioned for her to come and sit next to him. When she was seated, he started.
"You are not to repeat what I am about to tell you to anyone. I am about to share with you one of the best-kept secrets Hogwarts has seen to date. You, my dear, are in the shrieking shack."
Lily looked scared. "But James, its haunted! Let's go!"
James slowly shook his head. "But that is where you are wrong. This place has never been and is not haunted. Let me tell you the story." He paused, searching for the right words.
"A few years ago, Sirius and I were worried about our friend Remus. You know how he's always getting sick? Well, we worked out why. He's a werewolf."
Lily gasped but was too intrigued by the story to interrupt.
"You know the stories about all the howling here? That's him. Well," James continued, "We confronted him with all the information we had. He didn't deny it. He told us the story of how he'd been bitten as a child. The three of us then proceeded to work non-stop on finding a cure for it, but nothing we tried worked, although we did invent a potion to make you have Dracula teeth for a week. But that's beside the point.
"We told Peter. One night, when it was full moon and Remus was here, we came up with the answer. Actually, it was Sirius' idea, initially. Then we all sort of added our own bits and came up with a plan. We were going to learn how to be animagi.
"It took a lot of time and effort, and the whole time we kept it from Remus. Then, on his fifteenth birthday, we gave him his present. We told him that from now on, he no longer had to be alone when he transformed. You see, a werewolf will attack humans, but it won't attack other animals very often."
Lily looked at him. "That's amazing! How did you do it? What can you turn into? Who else knows?"
James laughed at the stream of questions. "So may questions! One at a time!"
Lily blushed. "I'm sorry," she said, meekly, "I'm just so shocked that I don't know what to ask first!"
"Well, let me start with the main one. You know how we marauders have names for each other?"
Lily nodded. "Yes. You're Prongs, right?"
"Yup. I'm Prongs because I can turn into a stag. Remus is Moony for obvious reasons. Sirius is Padfoot because he's this whopping great black dog. And Peter is Wormtail because he's a rat.
"So there you have it." James said. "Now you know the biggest secret in the school." He laughed. "Bet that wasn't what you were expecting, was it?"
Lily had so many questions to ask, and she was about to start when James put a hand over her mouth. He motioned for her to keep still.
"Are we all here then?" said a gruff voice outside. There were several grunts. "Looks like we're just waiting for Snape then." They waited in silence. In a few moments, they heard footsteps crunching on the gravel.
"I'm here, now where's is it?" Lily recognized Snape's voice.
"Where's what?"
"Yeah, what makes you think that we'd have something for you, Sevvie?"
"The only thing we'll ever give you is face full of fist."
"You're not even good enough to be talking to us."
Lily looked over at James. He had taken his hand from her mouth. Lily tapped him on the shoulder.
'Who is it with Snape?' she whispered at him.
'Slytherin Quidditch team.' He whispered back at her before turning his attention back to the people outside.
"Now listen here," Snape said, his voice rising, "The deal was that I take out Potter so he can't play Quidditch and you give me back my book."
There were several chuckles. "And why should we give it back? Why would you need a stupid book that you can't even read? I mean, it's all a bunch of jibberish."
"It is not jibberish!" protested Snape, "I – I just need it so I can keep Potter out of action. I need to know how to finish it off!"
The Slytherin Quidditch team paused here. They didn't know what to say.
"Well, I suppose we can give it back to you then, but if you want it back, there's one more thing we need you to do for us." He waited for Severus to say something. "We want you to take out Evans for us too." He continued when Snape said nothing. "I mean, get her so bad she'll be sent home. Not only is she a mudblood, but she's how we can hurt Potter the most. You have three days."
"The book first." Snape wasn't going anywhere without it. "I need it to keep Potter out of the way if I'm to get to Evans."
There was the sound of people walking away and then a *THUMP* as something hit the wall. Through a crack, they saw Snape bend down to pick up what had hit the wall. He laughed.
"Idiots." He muttered to himself. "Now that I have Salazar Slytherin's notebook back, no-one can stop me."
******
a/n: I am so so so so so sorry about leaving you guys hanging there, but it had to be done. This chapter is long. I will update next weekend if I'm allowed on the computer.
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Thanks Sarah, Steppi, Jules and Viv for reading it! I luv you.
Meh. I luv Michael too. He's my Fred.