A/N: OK, as usual, I'm gunna say that PremzaWitchOfWeirdos, russianchikk, rupertisahottie05 (I hope you really are joking!) and Ebonite Evans rock! Yes, any who… onto the chapter. This is back to where we left off with Lily at the end of Chapter 6 – when she'd just run down the stairs. It's going to be a short chapter because, well, poor Lily doesn't have anyone to talk to (to make the chapter longer) and I can't prattle on for when she sees James/the stag beside the Whomping Willow – because that's next chapter. Well, she will see him, but… OK, OK, I'll shut up now.
Disclaimer: (Sniff) You actually think I'm that wondrous goddess who wrote the HP Books? (Tears of Happiness)
Lily reached the bottom of the marble staircase and blinked around, as though she thought James had somehow become visible. She strained her ears to listen for the faintest whisper, the smallest sound, but heard nothing but the loud thumping of her own heart – which wasn't thumping because of anger anymore.
A new emotion had overtaken her. Panic. What if she was caught? Or what if it really hadn't been James, and she had just been paranoid because of all that happened in the past few days? What if there hadn't really been anyone there – How could he have become invisible, anyway? Was she going crazy?
Oh, I give up. I must've imagined it all. Thought Lily, butsuddenly, out of the blue, sheheard a voice (that she recognised as Sirius') yell; "WILL YOU SHUT UP?"
That settles it. I can't have imagined it, not unless my own ears are playing tricks on me. Thought Lily, and she scurried in the direction Sirius' voice had come from.
She was just walking down the corridor of Gregory the Smarmy when she saw someone coming inside the castle. Lily stifled a yelp as she jumped behind the statue of Gregory.
As the person drew closer Lily realised who it was, Madam Pomfrey. She was muttering to herself and shaking her head as she walked past. Lily was sure she would be given away by the boom, boom. Boom, boom. Boom, boom. in her chest, but Madam Pomfrey seemed too distracted to notice anything. As soon as she was out of sight,Lily set off again.
She walked cautiously into the Entrance Hall, looking out for more teachers. She had justcaughther breathwhen there was a loud SPLAT! Water flew it every direction possible, spattering loudly on the window panes.
Her uniform now drenched, Lily looked down to see the remains of a large, orange, water balloon by her feet.
"PEEVES!" growled Lily. Sure enough, the poltergeist was hovering a few metres above her. Peeves cackled manically.
"Peeves, you'd better get out of here!Unless you want me to go get the Bloody Baron, and I mean it!"Peeves blew a long, loud, wet raspberry, made a rude handgesture,and zoomed off.
Fuming, It took a few seconds for Lily to regain her senses, but as soon as she did she shoved the doors to the castle open. They were surprisingly easy to push, and as she opened them light from the torches inside illuminated the ground in front of the doorway.
As Lily's eyes became accustomed to the darkness, she noticed something else odd. The Whomping Willow, though usually trying to attack anything within its vicinity, remained motionless.
Forget the Whomping Willow, find James. She reminded herself. Though there was no proof that he had gone outside,she somehow suspected, though without knowing why, that James had left the castle. Lily glanced across the grounds, and there was still no one to be seen. But…
What was that? Something four legged and shaggy was moving around the tree. From the same direction there was an odd, bone chilling, squeaking noise. Why was there a dog on the Hogwarts grounds? And how did-
Lily gasped. Abruptly, and out of nowhere, a stag had materialised. The squeaking got louder. She stared, all thoughts on James forgotten. Lily blinked and rubbed her eyes. I must be dreaming. She pinched herself. Nope.
What were these two large animals doing by the Whomping Willow? It seemedimpossible -not to mention crazy. AND WHAT WAS THAT ANNOYING SQUEAKING NOISE?
The black dog turned its head towards the castle. The squeaks finally stopped as the dog barked loudly, in a way Lily had never heard a dog bark before. It was also as if it was trying to say something.
Slowly but surely, as though it had understood the dog perfectly, the stag turned around too.
A/N: Yay! Climax chapter next! I'm exited! Are you exited? OK, you probably aren't, but whatever. Review anyway!