Story Title: Love of Two Generations: The First
Chapter Title: Stupidity, With Reason
Disclaimer: All people and recognizable places belong to and were taken out of J.K. Rowling's amazing mind. Plot and some characters belong to me.
Author: Chewy
Summary: In a world of Witches, Wizards, Trolls, and magnificent Beasts, the tale of four different people unravels to engulf the world in luminosity. Can true love blossom from true hate? Can two opposites come together to form a bond so powerful it could save the world? Only TIME can tell…
Publishing Date: February 6, 2004
Author's Note: Ok, so I'm taking a brief break from studying to start typing this chapter. I hope you like it, I've been writing it for a few weeks, just haven't been able to get the right idea for it… I try to update as often as possible, but since Japan I've had to teach myself things in class for exams. But now that exams are done, and I have a spare, and Writer's Craft I can update more! Anyways, Hope you enjoy it, and it doesn't take as long to read it as it took to write it. And for updating quickly purposes, thank-yous will be in the next chapter, smiles.
The train continued to bump and the voices in the next cart over were doing a number on Lily's headache. She was positioned across the whole seat on the train with her Hogwarts robes sidled underneath her head. She took a deep breath, rolling over to face her best friend whom was leaning against the rain covered window.
"You know, I never really enjoyed trains. Even short rides- the subway even," Lily sighed out, holding her head. Marie looked up from the Witch Weekly Magazine she was reading and chuckled softly. "It's not funny you know. I actually vomited during my first train ride to Hogwarts. Before I met you," Lily continued. She looked out the dark window just as a strike of lightning hit nearby.
Marie chuckled, "Well please refrain from losing your stomach on your last ride to Hogwarts. With all due respect, I'd hate to have to spend the rest of the ride smelling like vomit."
Lily smiled widely at her friend and sat up. She jumped half a foot in the air as the lady with the cart knocked on the door before opening it, "Anything off the trolley dears?" Lily smiled at the woman and shook her head. Marie did the same and the woman closed the door with a nod.
Lily sat back against he seat holding her head and stared out the window, trying to see past the raindrops. "I expect we'll be arriving soon. It's getting rather dark out now," Lily commented. Marie nodded in reply, going back to her magazine.
Lily sat staring out the window for another hour before the Hogwarts Express pulled in Hogsmeade Station and the students filed off the train, their luggage in tow. Lily followed Marie close behind to the horseless carriages and onto the nearest one.
"This year's going to be different Marie, I can feel it." Lily felt a foreboding presence fall around her but pushed it from her thoughts. Nothing would ruin her last year.
The feast went as planned. Lily Evans was back at Hogwarts and she was Head Girl. The down part to her wonderful start was the Head Boy: James Potter. She was quite disappointed when she saw the glittering badge on his chest. After all the arguments and awkward moments, Lily had come to the conclusion during her moments of silence, that it would be best to steer clear of Mr. Potter altogether.
Unfortunately, after stating this thought to her mind, she saw him stroll into the Great Hall with Sirius and Remus in tow. She sighed as he took a seat down the table, Sirius and Remus on either side of him. Lily began to eat soon after the sorting ceremony, speaking quietly with Marie during the meal. It wasn't until she was finishing her dessert that her mind began wandering back to James Potter. She hadn't spoken to him since a week before when he refused to trust her. That simple action caused Lily to lose all respect for the boy.
She poked at the pumpkin pie in front of her, thinking about the tall dark haired boy. She jabbed her fork into the pie just as the Headmaster's voice rang through the Hall. Lily set her fork down onto the small plate and listened to the Wizard's words.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner, but this is an announcement of utmost importance. Many of you have heard of the power of the rising Dark Lord Voldemort. I would like to inform you that we have received word of a planned attack on the school. We will be taking extra precautions during the next few weeks to ensure your safety, and survival. We will be running planned drills during the day. When you hear this sound," A buzzing alarm erupted in the Great Hall. Lily Gasped and covered her ears and the Headmaster waved his hand.
"When you hear that sound, you will stop everything that you're doing and report directly to the dungeons. A head count will be performed and you will stay there until otherwise informed. If any are missing, we cannot assure you that you will be found in time. This being how it is, it is extremely crucial that you are in the dungeons within five minutes," Professor stared down at the students as he paused.
He took a deep breath and peered around the silent hall, "We're not sure why this is happening. Voldemort is in search of power, and if Hogwarts is attacked we have Auror's and Ministry officials standing by and will be here within moments."
Lily sighed again at hearing the news and the preparations the Ministry had taken for their protection. Students around her had begun to whisper madly, asking each other why Voldemort would be attacking Hogwarts, other than for power. What power would he get for attacking a bunch of kids?
Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly, gaining the attention of the students again. "On another note," he began. "I would once again like to welcome you to and back to Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. Please do not dwell on the unfortunate news you were told and look forward to your classes in the morning. Good-night." Marie snorted beside Lily, mumbling something along the lines, "Yeah, you try and not dwell."
Lily sat in silence, listening to the students around her. She swallowed hard, looking at the pie in front of her then at her hands. She felt numb, like she had been pulled away from the scene and was watching from above. She continued to slip away until her mind was devoid of a body. Feeling quite nauseous she stood quickly and made to leave, shaking her head at Marie's concerned expression. Lily blocked out the conversations that were going on around her and hurried from the loud hall.
Lily travelled up the Grand Staircase to the fifth floor, searching for the portrait to the Head's Common Room. She stopped in front of the strange portrait that she assumed was the opening. Dumbledore had described it as being "The Hogwarts Painting", and staring at the work in front of her she wondered what could be more Hogwarts?
It was a large painting of the Hogwarts Grounds, each corner held a different animal: Griffin, Raven, Snake, and Badger. Each animal had a human likeness, and was sporting their respective colours in their colouring. Lily shivered slightly before clearing her throat, "Snagglepus". She spoke loudly, hoping the portrait would dislodge. She sighed in relief as the portrait moved out of place, allowing her entrance. She walked cautiously inside, analyzing her surroundings.
An overstuffed chair sat adjacent to another small couch in front of her, facing away. They faced towards the fireplace in the far corner, giving the room a copper glow. The room was smaller than Gryffindor's, only being for two people, but was cozy and quaint. She took a deep breath before taking a seat on the couch in front of the fire. She laid her legs lengthwise along it and gazed into the fire; the first day was always the hardest.
She watched the flames lick at the logs within the hearth, letting the warmth settle on her. After the announcement Dumbledore had made, she felt that the world was suddenly placed on her shoulders. She had tried to shrug off the disconcerting thought, but found it hard to do so. She knew that it was her fault he was coming. She knew deep down, it was because of her, she just wouldn't admit it out loud.
Her thoughts were crushed back into the depths of her brain when she heard movement from the portrait hole. She continued to stare into the fire, hoping if she was silent, he wouldn't see her. Lily took a silent deep breath right before the movement stopped. A door shut closed soon after and she let herself breathe again.
Pulling her knees up closer to her head she sighed and continued to look into the fire. It happened in that same manner for a fortnight, until Lily stopped sitting in front of the fire. She decided that her room would be a more suitable place to ponder her life and the events to come.
The castle had grown tense, every student jumping at the smallest sound. Dumbledore would make announcements during dinner, stating any of the newest information, and it seemed that the 'calm before the storm' was upon them.
Lily sat in Charms class, listening to Professor Flitwick lecture in the background of her mind. She sat, doodling on the parchment in front of her. The drawing she had been working on for the first half of class appeared to evolve into a phoenix type thing, covering the whole page with the flames protruding from its tail. She felt Marie's eyes on her side and smiled up at her friend before going back to her doodling.
"Miss Evans?" Lily's head shot up, sending a shock of pain through her neck. Professor Flitwick raised an eyebrow, asking her to repeat his last words. Lily bit her lip hard and looked down at her hands, "Please pay attention Miss Evans." She nodded before looking down at her picture again.
"Yes Miss Evans, pay attention," Marie whispered beside her. Lily shook with laughter before elbowing Marie in the side. With the tension in the castle, Marie was the only one in the world that was able to make Lily smile anymore. They sat, whispering quietly for the rest of the class until they were dismissed, and sent on their way without the aid of the small Professor.
Lily walked in silence beside Marie, listening to Marie's sum up of the lecture she heard. "Something about making a copy of yourself, and being able to be in two places at once. I don't know, the part I heard was rather interesting, but then I realized, I'm actually listening." Lily laughed quietly peering down the hall in front of them. Students surrounded them on all sides, all speaking in whispers.
Lily gasped quietly as she watched Professor Cunningham jog down the hall in the opposite direction towards the Headmaster's Office. Lily quickly checked to see if anyone else had seen him, and then with a small comment to Marie; "I have to pee," Lily slipped away from the group. She walked back in the direction towards the Charms class and the nearest Girl's Toilet before slipping behind a statue of 'Burnaby Bluenose'.
She stood in the shadow of the statue, waiting. Minutes later the familiar buzzing sound that they had hear twice before rang through the hallways. This one was not planned. Lily bit her lip, it was actually happening. He was there; Voldemort was making his long awaited and planned appearance at Hogwarts. Lily nearly fell over, running quickly and silently towards the closest secret passage she knew of.
Tapping the third brick from the floor, she slipped behind the tapestry of 'Sweening Honds'. She stopped once she was safely inside to breathe, what was she doing? She made to move again but was stopped by a dark form standing in front of her. She nearly screamed before a hand clasped over her mouth and a wand was lit, illuminating the person's face.
Pictures flew back into her mind of the last time a hand was clamped over her mouth. She pushed it away quickly, stepping back. She took a few deep breath's before opening her mouth to speak, but was silenced once again by the person's 'shush'.
"Where do you think you're going Evans?" James Potter questioned in a whisper. "This is not the way to the dungeons, and you're going to end up getting yourself killed."
Lily glared at the tall boy, pushing his pointed wand away from her face, "I'm not going to let everyone in this school be killed just because…" She stopped and looked at the dark floor. "I want revenge…"
She saw out of the corner of her eye James roll his own. He grabbed her hand and led her the rest of the way through the tunnel, "Then I know a faster way." Lily gasped at the warmth his hand still held, and the white bandage surrounding his knuckle. She let herself be pulled along the dark passage until they reached the end. She stood as James stopped in front of her and pulled out an old piece of parchment.
"Feel like drawing?" Lily asked lamely. James gave her a small smile before tapping the parchment and whispering something. Lily gasped as lines began to cover the piece of parchment, forming corridors, doors, and rooms. "That's not…" James nodded as he unfolded the parchment and began searching it.
"They've swarmed the castle. Voldemort brought about two hundred followers, and they're not showing any mercy." James' eyes moved quickly down to the bottom of the parchment and Lily followed his eyes, watching the multiple names leave the map. "They're taking everyone out through Floo Powder, sending them to the Ministry Offices." James looked at Lily's shocked expression before commenting quietly, "It's not your fault."
Lily's eyes moved to his and she looked questioningly at him, "What are you talking about?" She tried to avert the subject as quickly as she could, turning her eyes back to the map. She began to fidget, feeling James's eyes on her. "It is…" she finally spoke.
"He's here to gain the fear of all of our parents Lily. Not to capture you and get you back for what happened. For all he knows, you're dead." James continued to gaze at her, as she slowly looked up at him. Their eyes met for a few moments before James broke the contact and pointed back at the map.
"Voldemort's inside the castle now, and he's heading towards the upper Common Rooms. If we can cut him off, we should be able to hold him off until Dumbledore gets there. Voldemort's afraid of Dumbledore, so he won't be able to do anything." James continued to talk, telling Lily what the plan was.
Lily stood, staring at the boy in front of her in amazement. Was this the James Potter she thought she knew? She continued to stare at him until she realized what he had said.
"I know a few passa,"
"Are you crazy? That's suicide! How can we take on Voldemort and whatever followers he's got? And with followers, he won't be afraid of Dumbledore!" Lily quickly interrupted in a forced whisper. James's hand quickly went over her mouth, pulling her towards him slightly as multiple footsteps were heard outside the other side of the tapestry. Lily's eyes widened and she took in a quick breath beneath James's hand, waiting for the footsteps to fade away. James's hand came down from her mouth and he closed his eyes for a moment. Lily looked up at him and watched as his Adams Apple bobbed as he swallowed.
Lily watched him open his eyes again and stare down at the map, "There's another passageway down two corridors. If we get there without being seen, we can follow that and hopefully get there a little before Dumbledore." Lily opened her mouth to comment but her cut her off, "Just long enough for Dumbledore to come, and bring other professor's with him." Lily nodded, letting him grab her wrist again while peering out the crack between the tapestry and stonewall, then at the map. "Go," he whispered harshly.
Lily ran quickly behind him, clenching her fists tightly. She held her breath deep within the regions of her lungs, more afraid of the next few moments than anything else. She was quickly pulled behind another statue, pulled tightly against James, waiting for the next move. She stood, her arms pressed against his heaving chest, begging for air. He still held her wrist tightly, peering down at the map to his side.
James pulled Lily further behind the statue until they were completely hidden on all sides, and looked down at her. Lily looked up at him with a worried expression in her eyes before looking back down and leaning her head on their hands. She felt James move under her weight and realized that he was pulling her along the edge of the statue again. Lily kept her head down low, only peering out the corner of her eye. She took shallow breaths, keeping her breathing quiet until James pulled her along again down the corridor.
They followed the same pattern multiple times, making their way towards the upper towers. James continuously looked down at the map in his hands, looking for Voldemort's exact location. Checking how far they were from their destination, James finally tucked the map into his pocket inside his Hogwarts robes. Looking down at Lily he whispered, "They're coming up behind us."
Lily closed her eyes tight, biting the inside of her cheek. In moments she would be up against the same man who nearly paralysed her, trying to save the school. "I am so stupid," she breathed out, not meaning for James to hear.
"You are," he replied, causing her to look up quickly. "But you have good reason," He saved, looking down at her. Lily looked up at him, watching his eyes. Watching his glasses reflect the light from outside… She gasped and quickly tore them from his face, holding them down in the shadow. "You know, I can't see now," he commented softly.
"Yes, and now neither can they. You're glasses were sending a small beam of light across the corridor," Lily explained in a harsh whisper. James' face contorted into an expression of surprise and amazement before he pulled her deeper behind the current statue they were situated against. Lily's heart raced faster, hearing Voldemort and his followers coming up near the statue. She looked up at James, waiting for a sign. Lily could swear that Voldemort would hear her heart beating hard against her rib cage.
"One… two… three!" James hollered, leading Lily out from the statue and jumping out right in front of Voldemort and the three followers he had surrounding him. "You know, now that we're here, I'm not sure this was a good idea," James whispered out of the corner of his mouth to Lily. Lily followed him, holding her wand in front of her. She looked down at her hand quickly, watching it shake unconventionally before looking back into the face of The Dark Lord.
Vicious laughter rang through the corridor, "I thought I had dealt with you at Christmas Lily Evans. I suppose I'll have to make sure I kill you this time."