A/N: Okay, here's the fourth chapter. Thank-you to all those who reviewed. Please keep 'em coming!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
Lily's mind was swimming as her and Remus arrived at the fat lady. Lily opened her mouth to speak the password when Remus grabbed her shoulder, swinging her around. Lily looked up into his eyes and gave him a questioning look.
"Lily…do you think we should tell anybody?" Remus asked, removing his hand from her arm. "About what we have to say, I mean."
"I don't know," Lily admitted, shrugging.
"Okay," Remus said, "Well, then do you have any idea about what we're going to say to the whole house?"
Lily shuddered. "Remus, I have know idea, and truthfully, that's the least of my worries. It's this Voldemort character, something goes through my veins every time his name is mentioned."
"Yeah," Remus agreed, resting a shoulder on the wall and stuffing his hands in his pockets. His sandy hair fell in front of his eyes and he wiped it away quickly. "Well, we better sleep on what we should say, we'll talk about it tomorrow. For now, maybe we should keep what Dumbledore said to us a secret."
Lily nodded, "I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to tell anyone."
Remus gave a slight nod of his head and turned towards the fat lady. "Flubberworm."
The Fat Lady smiled and nodded, swinging forward to reveal the common room. Remus stepped aside to let Lily in.
Once inside Lily bid goodnight to Remus and walked straight towards the fire. Whether it was because of the cold air or the news Dumbledore said, Lily was shivering.
She stopped at the fire and slumped against the couch, letting out a content sigh, letting the flames dance in the fire. The heat swept across her face, and she took to listening to the cracklings of the fire.
Lily allowed herself to let her back slide off the front of the couch, and onto the floor. She laid there, curled up in a ball, letting her dreams, wishes and nightmares pass through her mind.
"Hey my Pretty Lily Flower." Came a soft voice from the other side of the couch. Lily bolted up and looked to see who called her name.
"Hey Sirius," Lily said, rubbing her eyes and lying back down on the floor. Sirius came into better view and sprawled out on the couch.
"What are you doing down here? Remus came up a while ago." Sirius asked.
"Oh nothing, I just like some quiet time sometimes." Lily mumbled, turning her attention again to the dancing flames.
"Oh, sorry." Sirius said, standing up.
"Don't be!" Lily said quickly, never letting her eyes leave the fire.
"Well, the truth is, I wanted to ask you something." Sirius said, sitting back down and resting his elbows on his knees to get a better view of Lily. She was pretty, no doubt. With hair as fiery as the fire itself, and a temper to match the two. But Sirius never thought of her as more than a friend. Well, most of the time Lily disliked Sirius as much as James. But no matter what James said, he knew that James loved her. Really loved her. He would never to anything to disturb that.
"Shoot," Lily said, reluctantly tearing her gaze from the fire to look into Sirius dark eyes.
Sirius leaned deeper into the couch and patted the spot next to him. "Take a seat Pretty Lily Flower."
Lily smiled at her long used nickname and obeyed. Once she settled herself next to Sirius, he cleared his throat.
"Well, I was just wondering what I could do to make you not hate James." Sirius said uncertainly, never letting his eyes leave Lily face.
Lily rose her eyebrows and gave Sirius a pointed look. "He told you to say that, didn't he?" Lily asked, her voice itching with anger.
"No, he didn't, but I did." Sirius said firmly.
"Well, in answer to who ever told you to ask me that, nothing." Lily said defiantly. "He's too much a bully. He's insensitive, he's careless, he's-"
"Who you're meant to be with." Sirius finished quietly.
Lily's eyes widened and she shook her head vigorously. "No." she said simply. "There are so many people outside of Hogwarts, we have no idea. I can't narrow my choice to be within these walls, we're much too young. But if I had too, it would defiantly not be him."
"Why?" Sirius asked patiently, resting his elbow on the armchair.
"Listen, Sirius…I know James is your best mate and all, but I really don't understand what you see in him."
Sirius sat up straighter and looked at Lily sternly. "Don't Lily, don't. If you can't see what I see in him, then that's your problam. You're right, he's my best mate, and so is Remus and Peter, but I don't see you not giving them a chance."
"They've never asked me out a thousand times!" Lily exclaimed, "If James wants me to go out with him, he should change. He should know after I said no for the eightieth time that he's doing something wrong."
Sirius flinched at the harshness in her words. "Wow." He said after a while. "You don't get it do you? James hexes everyone because he tries to impress you, he's 'arrogant' because he wants you to notice him. He's been trying Lil, he really had. Just give him a chance, at least as friends, okay?" Lily looked at him blankly and ran a hand through her hair. "Hey," Sirius laughed, swatting Lily's hand away from her hair, "that's James' thing."
Lily laughed and shook her head. "You're a good friend Sirius," Lily whispered.
"You too, you really are." Sirius replied. After a while he stood up and stretched. "See you later Pretty Little Flower," He said at last.
Lily nodded and watched Sirius stand up. "'Night," She said. "Oh and Sirius," Lily added
Sirius turned around. "Yeah?"
"Thanks." Lily said, smiling.
"You're welcome Pretty Lily Flower."
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James woke up the next morning and found Remus and Peter, talking quietly again.
"Hey guys." James said groggily, flinging himself out of bed. "You ready?"
They both nodded and drew their wands, grinning. After about three minutes of 'step 1, 2, 3, and 4, Sirius woke up grudgingly.
"Whadis you're problem?" Sirius mumbled, grabbing a dirty sock and throwing it aimlessly, trying to hit one of the culprits trying to wake him up.
Fifteen minutes later the Mauraders were seated at the Gryfindor table, with Sirius staring at his plate murderously. He had obviously gone to bed late the night before.
"Hey boys!" Katherine sang, sliding into her seat across from Remus.
"Hey Kath!" Remus said.
Sirius looked up and nodded his hello, then turned back to glaring at his empty plate.
"Well aren't we the perky one?" Katherine laughed.
"You seem happy," Remus said curiously. "What's up?"
Katherine blushed and looked away. "Nothing." Katherine lied.
Marlee let out a loud noise that sounded suspiciously like a stifled laugh. Remus gave her a questioning look so Marlee decided to tell him what Katherine wouldn't. "Well." Marlee began, pausing for dramatic purposes. "It seems to me that Katherine here has a boyfriend."
"He's not to bad-looking either." Sara added with a wink.
"She does?" Remus asked, his face visibly tightening. "Who?"
"No o-" Katherine began but Marlee was to quick for her.
"His names Jeffrey Hampinkle, he's a sixth year Hufflepuff." Marlee said, watching Remus closely.
"I've heard of him." James said, obviously eavesdropping. "Plays for his house team, right?"
"Yeah, he does." Katherine said excitedly. "Seeker!"
"Oh, well isn't that peachy?" Remus growled.
"What was that?" Marlee whispered to Remus.
"Nothing," Remus whispered back. "Good for you Katherine," He said, his voice strained and his tone tight.
Katherine either didn't notice, or chose not to pay attention. She began talking to James about quiditch. Both Sara, James and Katherine played for the house teams.
When Katherine finished talking about her boyfriend, Sirius wasn't the only one growling into his plate. Remus was right there with him.
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"Remus Lupin!"
Remus looked around to see who called his name and saw Lily bustling towards him, her books dangerously close to slipping out from under her grip.
"Woah there." Remus laughed, grabbing Lily's books and holding them upright.
"Thanks," Lily gasped, she had obviously been running to catch up to him.
"What's up?" Remus asked curiously?
"Oh Remus, what are we going to do?" Lily wailed, grabbing fistfuls of her robes and wringing them around her fingers. "It's already time for dinner! We've had all day to think of what to say and I've come up with nothing!"
Remus looked puzzled for a moment before understanding dawned on him. He had been so busy brewing about…other things, that he had completely forgotten what they were going to say to the whole house, tomorrow.
"Oh shit." Remus breathed, stopping dead in his tracks and looking behind him, as if thinking the answer to all his problems were behind instead of ahead.
"I know," Lily agreed. She grabbed Remus' forearm and guided him away from the throng of students, into a near empty hallway. She paused at a door and opened it a little to see if it was empty before pushing it open and ushering him inside. "Dinner will have to wait." Lily said, flopping into an empty desk.
"It will." Remus agreed. "Okay, well what was it Dumbledore wanted us to say? That Voldemort is dangerous and getting more powerful everyday?"
"Yes," Lily confirmed. "He also wanted us to tell the students that Hogsmeade will be cancelled until further notice."
Remus' face lightened at once and he stood up straighter. "You're right! So, all we have to do is say that Hogsmeade is cancelled, and there you have it."
"No Remus," Lily said, sighing, "They'll wonder why and if we don't tell them they'll begin to panic. Plus Dumbledore told us to deliver the whole message." Lily flipped her hair out of her eyes and allowed them to sweep over the classroom. "Even the part about Voldemort."
"You're right." Remus agreed. "What should we say? We could try a happy approach. How about this. 'Hey guys, good afternoon, hope you've had a good day. By the way, Hogsmeade is cancelled until further notice. Why? Because Voldemort, the muggle born hater, is mad and raging and won't stop anywhere."
They both laughed and shook their heads. "No." Lily said. "Okay how about this. The dark approach. Hello students. Wipe those smiles away before what I'm about to say does for you. No more Hogsmeade if you don't want to be murdered by Voldemort."
They laughed again, and smiled. "Well…" Remus began, "This obviously isn't working."
"I don't understand." Lily said, turning serious at once. "Why are we now suddenly so worked up about this man? I've heard about him for years, so why now do we need to tell the students. They probably already know, so it won't come off so scary."
"I don't know," Remus said. "It's kind of different to hear it aloud, like it makes it final, we're all in danger and no where's safe."
"But we shouldn't be too worried, just to keep living our lives normally and let whatever comes come. We are in good hands." Lily said slowly.
"You're right." Remus agreed. "Don't be afraid, as long as we stand strong, Voldemort's impact will lessen by double. We're okay, we just need to work together and stick close to friends."
Lily looked solemn for a while before her face broke out into a beaming smile. "I think we've figured out what to say." She said.
Remus smiled instantly and nodded. "Yeah, I guess we did."
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Wednesday morning came all too quickly for Remus and Lily. They were up early, before all the Gryfindors, practicing what they would say in the common room.
"Lily, calm down." Remus said again after Lily fumbled what she would say again.
"How can I?" Lily asked, her voice on the brim of tears. "I keep calling Voldemort Oldiewart!"
Remus suppressed a smile, "Lil, its fine. We'll be fine." Lily nodded.
"What are you guys doing down here?" Asked an amused voice. Remus and Lily smiled when they recognized Peter's voice.
"Remus, mate, that was cruel, we only had two people to wake up Sirius." James added.
Lily gave the boys a confused look. "It's nothing," Remus said quickly. "You'd know if you roomed with him."
"Where is he now?" Lily asked.
"Ohh…probably brewing." James said, chuckling softly.
Lily turned to him with an amused smile. James felt his stomach do several flips when he looked at her. She was beautiful. "Is that so Potter?" Lily asked.
James laughed. "Okay Lily, don't believe us, but for some reason if you have to wake up Sirius and you end up with two black eyes, don't come crying to us."
Lily giggled. Was she having a friendly moment with Potter? She opened her mouth to continue their rare moment of kindness when a squeal erupted in the common room. Lily rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated groan.
"JAMSIE BABY!"
James took in a sharp intake of breath and prepared himself for the blow.
It came.
Sandra Flipp, a pretty Gryfindor prefect, charged at James with a beaming smile on her face. She threw herself around him and kissed his cheek.
"Er…hey Sandra." James said awkwardly, trying to peel off the attached girl.
"Sandra? What about Sandie pie?" Sandra said, pulling away with a soft pout played across her lips.
"Sandie pie?" Lily asked with disgust. "Sandie pie?"
James face turned a soft color of pink as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"So Jamsie Baby, what are you doing down here?" Sandra asked, grabbing his lower arm out of his pocket and holding onto his hand. He didn't hold hers back, but merely sat there and let her hold on tightly to him. She either didn't notice or didn't care.
"The same thing you are." James said, trying to keep his voice light. Why was Lily looking at him like that? Her expression was cold and her eyes dark.
"Oh." Sandra said, obviously disappointed in the lack of conversation.
"I have to go." James said quickly. He disentangled himself from her firm grip and started in the other direction.
"Wait!" Sandra said.
James prepared himself for the blow again.
It came.
Sandra flung her arms around his neck and kissed his lips swiftly. James plucked her off and waved goodbye.
James, Remus, Lily and Peter walked out of the common room and down to lunch.
"Where are the girls?" Remus asked in hope of conversation.
"Still sleeping." Lily said coldly, her eyes never leaving James back.
James noticed her sharp tone again and spun around. "What is your problem?" James asked, looking at Lily accusingly. "We were getting along fine before."
"Well that was before she came along, all clingy and sappy." Lily said evenly.
"I can't help that she does that!" James cried. Remus and Peter noticed the tones in their friends' voices and backed up a good distance.
"It's not her. It's YOU!" Lily spat.
"Me?" James cried in suprise.
"That poor girl is all over you and you obviously don't feel the same way!" Lily replied angrily. "You treat her just like you treat every other girl! Like nothing! Like garbage!"
James flinched and looked away. "I can't help it if the girl I like doesn't like me in return." James said quietly, looking into Lily's eyes once more.
Lily's look softened for a fraction of a second before hardening once again. "You make me sick, Potter."
James looked as though he had been slapped. Lily gave him one last dirty look before sweeping past James and scurrying to lunch.
"Ouch." James said to himself.
Remus and Peter finally emerged once they felt it was safe. They both clapped him on the shoulder and sighed.
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It was just after dinner at the end of the day and James and Lily were still not on speaking terms.
Lily was scurrying to the common room alone when she heard her name being called. She spun around angrily and saw Remus hurrying towards her.
"Lils, we need to get the whole house together! It's Wednesday and time to give them our speech!" Remus said.
Lily looked shocked and pushed her hair behind her ears. "I forgot," She said. "I totally and completely forgot. I was thinking about other things…"
"I know," Remus said, giving her an understanding look. "Well, let's get to the common room."
They both arrived at the common room and then realized they had no way to get everyone together.
"I have an idea!" Remus said, casting a spell on his voice to make it louder. "Attention all Gryfindor students, please report the Gryfindor common room as soon as possible. Thank you." He boomed. He then turned to Lily. "Do you think it worked? Did everyone hear me?"
Lily shrugged but then nodded towards the entrance, revealing many students scrambling in, looking confused.
They both waited for about fifteen minutes before they did the announcements again. Once more, they asked all the Gryfindor students to report to the common room as soon as possible. Once they were convinced everyone was there and seated in front of them, Lily cast the same spell Remus used on her own voice.
"Hi guys." Lily said awkwardly, blushing at her choice in words. "Remus and I are here to talk to you about something important." She said more confidently.
"Yes," Remus said. "We have an important message. Hogesmeade will be cancelled and until further notice, due to Voldemort and his followers.
At once people began whispering, their eyes growing round with fear. Lily held up her hand. "Please let us finish. We are in the safest place there is to be right now, don't worry. We need to go on living our lives as best we can. Don't let Voldemort get to us." Lily said firmly.
"Stick with your friends, as long as you stand strong, it will lesson his influence by double." Remus continued, his own voice firm.
"If you need to talk to someone, Remus and I are always here for you. Thank-you, and don't worry. We're safe." Lily finished, turning towards Remus to see if he wanted to add anything. Remus shook his head and the two took the spell off their voice, causing them to turn back to normal.
"How do you think it went?" Lily asked hoarsely, glancing around nervously.
"I don't know." Remus breathed, "It was the best we could do, and we can't ask for more."
Lily nodded and turned just in time to see her friends running up to here.
"Lil!" Katherine said, placing her hands on Lily's shoulders. "Is Hogesmeade really cancelled?"
Lily gasped at her friend, after everything she just told her about Voldemort, she was worried about Hogsmeade? 'Well,' Lily thought, 'We did tell them to keep living life as normally as possible.
"Yeah." Lily said.
Katherine took her hands off Lily's shoulders and shook her head. "I had a date." She groaned.
"After all we told you, that's all you can think of?" Remus asked sharply. Everyone turned to him in surprise.
"Sorry!" Katherine said quickly. "I didn't mean…I just…well-"
"Don't hurt yourself." Sirius laughed, appearing behind the group of teenagers.
Katherine giggled and turned a light shade of pink. "Sorry Remus." She added.
"Don't be Kath!" Remus said. "I shouldn't have said it like that."
Katherine blushed even redder at the way Remus said her name. He opened his mouth to reply when a hand clapped him on the back.
"Remus, Lily, that was a bloody good speech. I couldn't have done better myself…well, I probably could have but that's not the point." James said teasingly. Remus swatted his hand off his shoulder and chuckled, while Lily had trouble suppressing a smile.
James looked towards her and was astounded, yet again, by her beauty. Lily caught him looking at her like that and she blushed. Anyone who looked at her with such amazement made her turn pink in the cheeks.
"Hey, Lily." A deep, soothing voice said from behind Lily. She turned around and spotted Joseph Joggins, a handsome Gryfindor seventh year.
"Hey." Lily said, blushing to the roots of her hair. All the Mauraders' and her friends' eyes were upon them.
"Um…" Joey said, glancing around awkwardly. "Could I talk to you for a moment?"
Everyone drew in a sharp breath and Lily's face color was competing with the shade of her hair. "Yes of course." Lily said shyly.
Joey smiled a very nice looking smile and grabbed her lower arm, directing her over to a less crowded area.
James watched with anger and pain creeping into his eyes. He watched as Joey looked into Lily's amazingly green eyes. He watched as a beaming smile crossed her face as she nodded vigorously. He noticed that with every word Joey spoke, Lily's race entered a deeper shade of red. James watched with envy. James watched with anger. James watched with pain.
"James." Remus said. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure it's nothing."
James allowed himself to nod, but wouldn't avert his eyes from Joey and Lily.
Finally Joey wrapped his arms around Lily and gave her a hug and kissed her lightly. Lily smiled and waved, walking back over to her friends.
"Lils!" Sara breathed, crossing to stand closer to Lily. "Spill."
Lily smiled and mouthed 'later' to Sara.
"No," James said, a little crossly. "I think we all want to know what happened."
Lily gave him a look that was somewhere between defiant and surprised at his tone. "If you must know," She said at last. "He said he'd been watching me lately and was planning on asking me to Hogsmeade, but, since that can't happen, he was wondering if I would be his girlfriend."
"What did you say?" Remus asked, looking at James with understanding in his eyes.
Lily blushed yet again and looked off into space. "Yes." She said dreamily.
Sara squealed and hugged her friend tightly. "I'm so happy for you Lily." Sara said, releasing her friend and smiling happily at her.
"I am too," Lily said.
A long silence followed, one of those in which no one knew what to say.
"Let's go to bed." Peter said at last. "C'mon guys."
The Mauraders nodded and bid goodnight to the girls. Once inside their dorm James took his pillow of the bed and threw it on the ground, kicking an old bottle.
"I'm sorry, mate." Sirius whispered quietly.
"Me too." Remus said, flopping down on his bed.
"I don't understand." James wailed, "Why can't she see we're meant to be together? Why?"
"James, mate, in case you forgot, you're the one who's had a girlfriend every week since second year." Sirius pointed out.
James threw him a dirty look and ran a hand through his hair. "I can't wait for her forever." James admitted. "I decided I should date other girls until she comes around." He sighed. "I've been liking her since first year. The first time I laid eyes on her I knew."
"Knew what?" Peter asked exquisitely.
"That she was the one."
A/N: What did you think? I'll try to update soon. Please review. Love you all