Author's Note: Once again, I own nothing. I apologize for the size of the first chapter, it was quite tiny, but this one is a little more complex. Do enjoy! Read and Review!
The next morning, when Lily awoke, all her friends were still asleep. She silently dressed, got her bag, and went downstairs to breakfast. She sat reading and nibbling on a bagel, waiting for her friends. Emma woke up, and noticed Lily was already gone, so she got up and got dressed. Then she decided to wake the other girls.
"Wake up Lauren, Wake up Rene!" she yelled.
"NO MORE BERTIE BOTTS BEANS!" Lauren sat bolt upright in bed, panting, and then she blushed,
"Ha ha, very funny, hey, where's Lily?"
"She's down at breakfast," Emma said looking frightened. Lauren got up, dressed, and grabbed her bag.
"I'll wait for you two downstairs in the common room," she said, her face still red.
"Alrighty," Emma said, still looking concerned for her friend. She ran downstairs and sat on a couch, pulling out her book, and studying some more.
"RENE! Oh my word, RENE WAKE UP NOW OR I'LL LEAVE YOU
HERE SO YOU'LL BE LATE FOR CLASS!" Emma yelled.
"I'm up!" Rene groaned. Lauren heard her friend yelling, and rolled her eyes.
"Well now that all the boys are up..." she murmured.
"Jeeze woman, can't a girl sleep?" Rene muttered. James walked sleepily down the stairs, almost falling down a few of them.
"Morning Lauren...dang that girl can yell eh?" he laughed. Lauren laughed,
"Yea, pity they don't need another Quidditch commentator, she wouldn't need Sonorus!"
"Yeah, so where's Lily?" James asked.
"Down at breakfast, she wakes up so early. I had the strangest dream last night." At that moment Rene, Emma and Remus, showed up downstairs.
"Morning all" Emma said cheerfully, while Rene looked grumpy and Remus looked tired.
"Oh yeah, what was your dream?" James asked.
"Oh cut the crap Emma, we're all tired," said Sirius, stumbling down the stairs. Emma looked shocked.
"Jerk," she mumbled.
"Oh, just something about a werewolf, but he was yelling at you. I don't know, I don't remember it much." James looked at Sirius and Remus, before looking back to Lauren.
"Really? How odd" Suddenly her eyes met with Remus, who looked quite pale.
"Are you feeling ok Remus, you look pale." Without thinking twice, she felt his forehead. Remus felt her warm hand on his forehead, and his legs turned to jello.
"Oh no I'm...er...fine, thanks though." He gave a small, tired smile.
"You sure?" she was worried. "I think you need to rest more often, visiting your mother every month must be hard."
"Yeah I'm fine, really."
"Alright, well make sure you lay down if you feel ill." She was truly concerned, and it showed in her face.
"Well then, shall we go to breakfast?" Emma suggested, not looking very happy anymore.
"Yea let's," said Sirius, but he let everyone go ahead of him, and he stopped Emma. "Emma wait!"
"Yes?" Emma said, looking annoyed.
"I'm sorry, I get cranky in the morning, and I didn't mean to make you angry. Sorry. "He bent down and quickly kissed her on the cheek, and almost ran out the common room door. Emma nearly fainted as his soft lips touched her cheek, barely breathing. She sat down for a second, shook her head then got up and headed to breakfast.
Emma sat down between Lily and Rene, looking very dazed. She put a few eggs and pieces of bacon on her plate and put maple syrup on it all.
"Happy are we?" Lily said laughing. "What happened to you?" Lauren sat down across from the girls and pulled out her book. She grabbed a muffin and read.
"Eh? What? Um I...I've suddenly been struck with...happiness, yeah, no reason, really" Emma said quickly. Rene laughed at her and said,
"Right, Emma, whatever."
"Ok...You really need to come up with some better excuses Em, honestly" Lily said.
"Yeah, ok...yeah, excuses..." Emma muttered putting jelly on her eggs instead of her toast. Lauren looked up and saw the four boys deep in conversation. She saw Lupin looking ill, and felt awful.
"Do you guys think Remus Lupin is alright? He looks ill to m--um Emma, is that your new food fad? Jelly on eggs?" Lauren asked her, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know, he does look ill, but he usually looks like this when it's close to him visiting his mum" Rene said looking a bit concerned as well.
"What? Oh crap," Emma said, looking down at her food. "Oh well I'm not hungry anyway."
"Yea. The poor thing, he must worry all the time." Lauren looked over again, an odd feeling in her stomach.
"Emma, are you alright?"
"Yes yes I'm fine. Just...I don't know."
"Lauren, since when are you worried about Lupin?" Lily asked, putting down her book.
"Yeah, what Lily said," Emma said, trying to change the subject.
"Well, look at him! He looks ever so ill, and his mum's near dying! Who wouldn't feel bad for him?" She said, and she was completely telling the truth.
"We do feel bad, it's just, you seem to be, oh I don't know, liking him or something" Rene smiled.
"Well of course I like him, but as a friend!" She said. She wasn't one of those people who got all fluttery and nervous when someone talked about a boy, so she was completely calm. But as she stood and looked over to the boys, a slight smile played at her lips.
"Okey dokey Lauren," Rene said, getting up, "Well let's get to class then."
"Yea, let's go before Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dumb, Tweedle Dumber and Tweedle Dumbest decide to join us." said Lily, looking back at the boys. As Emma was getting up she looked over at the boys, but her shoelace was untied and she tripped and fell right on her face. She moaned,
"Owww." Suddenly, Sirius, James and Remus rushed over. Peter toddled behind; he seemed reluctant to leave his toast.
"You ok?" asked Sirius, who was down on the floor beside her. "You fell pretty hard."
"Umm," Emma said, sitting up, "Yeah I'm fine thanks." she said smiling.
"What is up with you this morning Emma?" Rene questioned, giggling.
"Well that's good, I was afraid I'd have to Wingardium Leviosa you to the hospital wing. Move along everyone, gotta get queen klutz to the hospital wing"' He said, smiling.
"Gee thanks Sirius, you're so kind," but Emma was starting to laugh as well. Sirius held out a hand and helped her up.
"There you go."
"Thanks." Emma said as she blushed.
"Welcome"
"Aww wook who's in wuv" James taunted. Sirius's hair fell into his eyes. He grimaced and said,
"Your in for it James!" Emma blushed even more, if it was possible. Lily scowled.
"James, can't you ever let someone be happy for once?" She stepped forward as she spoke, angrier by the second.
"Aww Evans, don't worry, me and Sirius do it all the time. Right Padfoot old buddy?"
"MY NAME IS LILY!" She screamed, and ran out the door. Sirius was still shaking his head, not angry, but not too pleased either. James looked taken aback. He looked at Rene and Emma, who looked infuriated. They ran after her.
"Lily! Wait up!" Emma yelled. Lauren looked at Remus, as if too say, 'sorry I can't take your side' and ran after her friends.
"Prongs, why can't you just be...I don't know, nice to Lily? We know you like her but you could respect her a bit more," Remus said, shaking his head.
"I...she...well I don't...,"James stuttered.
"And why did you have to do that to me! I love you like a brother, but honestly, she likes me, I know it, and I'm just trying to be nice to her!" Sirius said, still shaking his head.
"Padfoot, I'm sorry I really am...I don't know what came over me I swear. I'm sorry!" James said pleadingly.
"Breathe! We still love you! Moony, I think he's hyperventilating!"
"Prongs, you should apologize to Lily soon. And Sirius is right, we do still love you but you should start acting your age, ya know?"
"Let's get to class or McGonagall's going to kill us"
"Oh crap lets go!" James said before starting to jog to Transfiguration. They rushed in the door, and took there seats, in the row behind the girls. Suddenly a small boy with greasy black hair and a long nose walked in the door just as the bell rang. He looked at Professor McGonagall with complete sorrow that he was late, but he knew what was coming.
"Alright class, settle down. Now, Mister Snape, why are you late?" said McGonagall
"Greasy haired git" James mumbled under his breath. The boy's voice was quite squeaky for that of a 16 year old.
"I...I got stuck in a pair of vanishing stairs." He said with complete embarrassment
"Ah I see, well even if that is so, 5 points from Slytherin for being tardy."
"Yes Ma'am." He took his seat, which was, unfortunately, right behind James. Emma felt sorry for Snape but then again she didn't. She never forgot the time he was teasing her for tripping and falling down half the staircase. In fact, she thought he was the one who tripped her. James turned around and grinned at Snape.
"Top o' the morning to you Mr. Snivellus." Lauren accidentally brushed her quill off of her desk and behind her, turning to see Remus right there. Lily hissed,
"SHHH" to James, annoyed. Remus smiled and picked up Lauren quill for her.
"Is this yours?"
"Yea, sorry," as she took it from him, his hand brushed against hers, and for the first time in her life, she felt embarrassed. At that moment McGonagall said,
"Mr. Lupin, Ms. Frobisher, please pay attention."
"I'm Sorry Professor, I just dropped my quill." James sniggered at Remus' expression.
"Now, today we will be transfiguring people into objects, such as chairs. Who here knows the spell to do that?" Lily raised her hand slowly, nervous that she'd get it wrong.
"Yes, Ms Evans"
"Umm, Transfigurus?" She answered slowly.
"Precisely. Now the wand movements, anyone know them? Mr. Black? Do you know?" Sirius bit his lip.
"Uh, flick and swish?" he said, coolly shaking his head to get the hair out of his eyes."
"Close Mr. Black, it is actually swish and jab. Now partner up and try to change your partner into something. You must concentrate very hard on the object." Rene thought for a moment. Who should I pick? She wondered. Lauren found herself honestly hoping for Remus to ask her, but she knew he probably wouldn't. She saw Lily trying to avoid James' looks at her.
"Hey umm Ev...Lily. Do you want to be partners with me?" James asked quietly. Emma looked from Rene to Lauren to Lily to Sirius but she couldn't choose. Darn I hate having so many friends she thought to herself. For the first time, Lily heard a bit of sweetness in James' voice, but before she let her heart speak, she snapped,
"I'd pair up with a mountain troll before I'd pair up with you!" Remus walked slowly up to Lauren.
"Hey uh Lauren, want to be my partner? I promise I won't mess up," he smiled.
Lauren laughed.
"Of course I would, and why would I think you'd mess up? You're the brightest boy in the class!" Remus' cheeks got a little red.
"Thanks."
"Wanna be partners Rene?" Lily asked. She would've asked Lauren or Emma, but she wanted to do a bit of matchmaking.
"Yeah sure," Rene answered. Sirius smiled.
"Hey Em! Wanna partner up?" He brushed his hair out of his eyes, raising his eyebrows to Remus.
"Uh yeah, sure Sirius," Emma blushed. Peter jumped up.
"I guess it's you and me, James!"
"Oh yay," James mumbled. Lily felt her heart feel like it had skipped a step going downstairs, but suddenly she shook herself.
"Stop it Lily. You hate James." she told herself, but couldn't help pulling out a piece of parchment, writing "Sorry" on it, and shoving it behind her onto his desk. Emma pulled out her wand and as she walked past Lily said,
"Hey you should have partnered with him; you could have turned him into a toilet." She smiled. Lily gave a half smile, and mouthed,
"And you'll turn Sirius into a pillow, and kiss him, and hug him!"
"So, you wanna try first?" Lauren asked Remus, brushing her long brown bangs behind her ears.
"Yeah sure, what shall I turn you into?" Emma stuck her tongue out at Lily.
"Er, well," her ears turned red, "I'm not quite fond of being turned into something, but how about...a kiwi?"
"Something in the air taste funny, Ems?" Sirius asked her, giving her an "Are you insane" look.
"A kiwi, alright then." Remus smiled and tried to concentrate on a kiwi.
"Whatever are you talking about Sirius?" Emma said with a look of polite confusion on her face.
"You mean, you don't think I'm an idiot for picking a Kiwi?" she asked, astonished
"Of course not! Why would I?" Remus asked.
"Er, never mind, would you like to go first, or should I?" Sirius shook his head, but this time, he was confused himself.
"Well, most people do. They can't stand me."
"Well most people are stupid."Remus said smiling.
"Yea. Kiwi's remind me of myself" She said with a laugh.
"You go." Emma answered. She was getting a bit nervous about Sirius turning her into something. Sirius seemed worried.
"You ready?" he asked her. Remus laughed.
"Right well here we go." He concentrated hard on a kiwi and did the swish, jab and said "Transfigurus."
"Yes I'm ready." Emma said smiling nervously Sirius tried to concentrate on a dinner roll, swished, jabbed, and said,
"Transfigurus!" He looked over at Emma, and was horrified to see she had become a toilet paper roll. Lauren felt tiny. She tried to say "did it work" but she had no lips. Remus looked down at Lauren.
"Oh good." he said relieved. Then he looked at Emma and Sirius.
"Sirius what'd you do?" Lily was distracted by Sirius, and she rushed over.
"Good job genius!" she cried.
"Now they should change back very soon." McGonagall said over all the commotion. James started to laugh at Sirius but then seeing his face he stopped. Lauren felt herself sprouting legs and arms, and found herself as, well, herself!
"Good job Remus!" she said, smiling, and then looking at poor Emma.
"Sirius, she's gonna kill you."
"Never mind kill you, she'll probably yell your ears off," Rene laughed. Lily shook her head.
"What were you attempting to change her into, may I ask?"
"Yeah, I hope you weren't intending for this to happen," Remus said. Lauren bent over to Remus and whispered,
"Yell HIS ears off? The whole bloody continent will be deaf!" Remus laughed. He looked at Emma and saw her changing back.
"Here we go!" she whispered, and as she pulled away, her cheek brushed against his.
"SIRIUS BLACK! WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU TRYING TO DO TO ME?"
"See what I mean?" Rene said, covering her ears. He blushed.
"I'm really, really sorry, Emma, I swear, I meant to turn you into a dinner roll, you know like a pastry, but I guess I wasn't concentrating hard enough."
"Now now Miss Morgan, there is no need to shout." McGonagall said, jogging over. Emma ran out of the room. Rene ran after her.
"Oh my word! What's with these people today?" she said. Lily started to snigger; she backed up, right into James. She turned around, and from the bottom of her heart said.
"Sorry." she smiled at him, he had lovely hazel eyes. Lauren put her face in her hands and sat down.
"She's so difficult."
"Oh it's alright, I deserved it." James said, smiling back.
"And loud." said Remus. Lily rolled her eyes, but this time, she was smiling, and it was in a nice way. Lauren burst out laughing. She put her head on her arm, and was shaking so hard, people thought she was having some kind of heart attack
"Don't roll you eyes at me little lady, anyway, I did deserve it." James said with a big grin on his face.
"You alright Lauren?" Remus asked looking concerned. Lily replied,
"Why - Hey, did anybody see what Snivillus turned into?" Lauren looked up. "I'm fine. I think I just had a laughing attack. I'll be fine; I just get like that sometimes."
"Probably something gross...like a toilet," James replied, sniggering.
"Ok good, I thought you were having a seizure or something," Remus said smiling. Lily looked away biting her lip and frowning, but then she said,
"Hopefully. Or maybe he became a bath; he needs to wash his pants." Lauren stood up, but she was a bit wobbly on her feet, and fell onto Remus' shoulder.
"Alright what did you drink this morning Lauren?" Remus asked, laughing.
"I'm fine, I-" Lauren suddenly fainted
"Well well well, looks like the goody Gryffindors are a bit weak eh?" came the voice of Lucius Malfoy. Lily spun around.
"Shut it Malfoy, and go back to your little boyfriend Snivillus."
"Hush Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall snapped, "Mr. Lupin, take Miss Frobisher to Madam Pomfrey quickly. Class dismissed." She left without another word.
"Need help Moony?" James asked looking concerned.
"Nah I'm fine." Remus answered. Suddenly Severus jumped up.
"I've had it with you, you filthy, evil, pathetic excuse for a witch mudblood!" he cried, and sent a spell at Lily.
"Hey!" James yelled, and he sent "Protego" at the spell but it was too late. Lily was hit with the spell, and she was knocked back into the table.
"Lily!" James yelled. Lily looked at the floor; tears had begun to run down her cheeks. James jumped up but instead of reaching for his wand he tackled Snape and started pounding him with his fist. Lily screamed.
"JAMES, STOP! DON'T STOOP TO HIS LEVEL" Sirius ran off to find a teacher. Malfoy ran over to try and help his friend, but he was hit with a spell, probably from a Gryffindor. Lily could feel the back of her neck was sopping wet with blood, and she wished James would stop fighting long enough to help her. James looked down at Snape. He looked unconscious, so he walked over to Lily. "
"Are you okay Lily?" he asked. Lily did something she'd never done before and threw her arms around James, sobbing into his shoulder.
"Come on lets get you to the hospital wing." He scooped her up and walked to the door. Lily's face was pale, and she was still crying. "Oh James, Oh James" she kept saying in between sobs.
"Shh Lils it's alright, he can't hurt you anymore," he said, trying to sound comforting. Suddenly Sirius came running with McGonagall, who looked as if she was going to kill someone
"What on Earth happened? Potter get her to Madam Pomfrey quickly, she's bleeding everywhere. Oh dear, Mr. Black tell me what happened now!"
"Well, Lauren Frobisher fainted, so Remus took her to the wing, and Lucius Malfoy said Gryffindors were weak, Lily told him to be quiet, and Snape called her some bad things, and then attacked her."
"I see. And where are Snape and Malfoy?"
"Um, well, I think they're still in your classroom ma'am."
"James?" Lily said weakly as he carried her up to the wing.
"Yeah Lily?"
"Did you get the thing I gave you in Transfiguration?"
"The dirty looks or the piece of parchment?" he asked smiling.
"The parchment. I really meant I was sorry. I did want to be your partner, and no, not just so I could turn you into dragon droppings."
"Yeah I got it...and I know you're sorry. It's alright. Really it is. Oh and I heard Emma, great girl she is." He added sarcastically.
"And James?"
"Yes Lily?"
"Thanks for not calling me Evans." Lily got down from his arms, and kissed him on the cheek, walking into the hospital wing. James almost fainted.
"No problem." He smiled and walked into the hospital wing after her
"AAUUGGHH! WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN HAPPENED TO HER? IF THIS WAS ANOTHER MINDLESS JOKE OF YOURS POTTER-" Madame Pomfrey screamed.
"It wasn't, I was attacked by another student," Lily told her weakly.
"By who?" Remus demanded. He was sitting next to Lauren's bed. Lily murmured,
"Snivillus" and then passed out.
"Lily!" James bent down quickly to catch her.
"Get her on the bed, quickly, quickly, that's a nasty cut!" Madame Pomfrey was bustling around, worried. James laid her down on the closest bed and brushed the hair out of her eyes. Lauren suddenly started to wake up.
"R...Re...Remus?" she whispered, the images still blurry.
"Lauren! How're you feeling?" Remus turned around at the sound of her voice.
"Better." she said, sitting up. "Whe-LILY!"
"Don't worry." He said, trying to gently push her back down.
"What happened?" she cried, grabbing his hand, and then looking into his eyes, a bit of hair falling onto her cheek.
"She was...er..." He wasn't sure if he should tell her. "She was attacked. Don't worry I'm sure she'll be fine!" he tried to calm her down.
"Wha...what?" she was speechless. A tear ran silently down her cheek.
"It's ok Lauren." He bent down and gave her a one-armed hug.
"Mr. Potter, could you please turn Miss Evans over so I could see her neck, I've got to patch this up, she'll be fine, ready to go right after, but her neck may be sore for awhile." James flipped her over gently. Her neck looked pretty bad. He shuddered
"Remus, how can I ever repay you? You're such a good friend. Oh, please don't let me see her cut" she cried.
"See, she'll be fine." Remus said to Lauren, though the cut looked kinda bad. "You don't need to repay me."
"Mr. Potter, I think its best if you'd look away. Immendo!" Madame Pomfrey shouted.
"Yes I do. You always cheer me up when I'm low, you make me feel better, and you're ever so worried about me. I don't know how to thank you for your kindness." Lauren told Remus
"No you don't Lauren really!" Remus said quickly, "that's what friends are for right?"
"There, now let her wake up and you four can go down to lunch, good day all." James sighed.
"Thanks Madam Pomfrey."
"Remus could you help me up?" Lauren asked; she was still feeling woozy.
"Oh yeah, here," he helped her up. Madam Pomfrey gave a slight wave, and went into her office. Lauren got up, but instead of letting go of his hand when she stood up, she looked him in the eyes. She felt her stomach do a few somersaults, and she said,
"May...maybe we should go down and let James here alone." she still hadn't let go of his hands.
"Yeah, let's." He looked over at James." Come on." He still held her hand as they left. Suddenly, as the door closed, Lily shot up in bed screaming. She started to breathe heavy, and as she looked around, she saw James.
"Hey Lily! Are you ok?" He asked, looking very concerned
"Oh, oh, it was a nightmare, I'm fine. Is my neck all right?" she asked.
"Oh yeah Madam Pomfrey mended it up fast." James said, looking relived
"Can I leave?" she asked
"If you want to, yeah."
"Come on, I'm starving."