Lily grabbed two stools and dragged them over to the large island at the back of Greenhouse Two. The roof was clear of foliage and so instead of turning on the lights they remained in the silver glow cast by the full moon that shone through the glass. The air was filled with the mingled perfumes of all the flowers around them. Taking the seat next to her James took out a piece of parchment leaning it on his lap.
"Alright," he said, "This is basically up to you to decide on colours and that kind of thing, but I can draw, so if you like I can make sketches of what things might look like."
"Really?" she looked impressed, "That'd be great!"
He flushed and looked down, "yeah, well…"
Lily got up from her stool and started to wander round the island of plants. James followed her with his eyes, supplying the names of plants when she requested them.
"You know," she said thoughtfully, "we'll have to find charms to keep them from wilting during the night. You can leave that to me."
"Ok," he agreed, "just ask if you want any help."
"I think we should go for neutral colours, predominantly white, with a hint of other colours to brighten it up a bit," she suggested, delicately fingering a tulip bud.
"Not all plants bloom at the same time, so we might have to adjust their flowering time to," James said, "If you want I can do that."
"Right," agreed Lily, she smiled, "we make quite a good team don't we?"
He grinned, "as long as I don't take offence at the orders you give out we'll be fine."
Lily raised an eyebrow at him as she came full circle round the island, and poked his chest, "just you remember that," she said, the corners of her mouth twitching.
After about an hour their seats began to become uncomfortable, James got up and stretched languorously. Watching him Lily itched to do the same, but remained seated. He glanced around and grinned, then grabbed her arm and led her over to a raised bed in the back corner, piled high with soil. Reaching it, he pulled out his wand, "Granimae."
Immediately, a lush carpet of grass spread over the top, making a squarish patch about 2 metres long around the edges. Grinning he made a flourishing bow to her and gestured for her to sit.
"I suppose you're very pleased with yourself," she said archly, seating herself down on the side nearest the window.
"Naturally," he replied with a grin, "I've saved myself a very sore behind in the morning."
Lily rolled her eyes as he sat opposite her. They carried on working, but she couldn't help but notice that after a while he seemed to become fidgety, continuously glancing out of the window.
"What is it?" she said at last, putting down her quill.
"Nothing," he responded immediately.
"I don't believe you," she replied flatly.
He sighed, "Saffron always tells me I'm a bad liar."
"Yeah, she told me that too," Lily grinned, "so now that we both realise that we can never successfully lie to one another, what's wrong?"
He frowned and looked at his hands, "I'd tell you if I could, Lily. Really I would, but…"
"But?"
"I can't, I really can't." He looked so pained about the whole thing that she didn't probe any more. Instead she looked out of the window over her shoulder.
There was a dark figure creeping along the lawn past them.
"Look!" she said, grabbing James' arm, "Who's that?"
He leaned across her to see, she caught the fleeting smell of his scent mingled with his deodorant, which she decided that she liked…a lot. She swallowed hard, watching the side of his face as he looked outside, following the path of the retreating figure.
"I swear that was Snape," he breathed, "What on earth is he up to?"
Slowly she took a deep breath and focused her attention on Snape too. He was clearly visible in the moonlight, making his way towards the Whomping Willow.
"Why does he want to go there?" Lily said in confusion, "It'll only hit him."
But James was frowning deeply now, looking the most worried she'd ever seen. Snape picked up a long stick and walked towards the willow. James swore loudly and scrambled off the grassy bank, pelting towards the door. He wrenched it open and charged over the grass in hot pursuit of the Slytherin. Without hesitation Lily followed, easily catching him up.
"What's going on?" she demanded as they sprinted towards the willow, which had stopped flailing its branches.
"He's going to get himself killed!" James shouted, "That idiot! What does he think he's doing? Go get Dumbledore," he told her firmly as they neared the tree. "Tell him exactly what you saw."
"But what about you?"
"I'm going to get our slimy friend out of a lot of trouble," he replied grimly.
"I can help with that," she replied.
He hesitated, knowing this to be the truth, "I know you could, but we're going to have one very angry Snape in a short time and we'll need Dumbledore's help. Besides, you're obviously the fastest runner."
Reaching the willow, he picked up the stick Snape had dropped and prodded a knot in the trunk.
"Please Lily!"
She nodded and turned to race back up towards the castle. James climbed down into the passage that led to the Shrieking Shack.
"Snape!" he yelled, "Wait!"
In the first room he met Snape, who whirled round to meet him.
"So this is where all the illegal activities go on," Snape said coldly.
"You have to come back now," James panted.
"Go back? When I'm about to expose you for the law breaker you are? Besides," he added, "I've been invited."
"Invited?" James echoed in astonishment.
There was a loud bang and snarling noises came from above them, followed by scuffling sounds and more snarling.
"Keeping an illegal animal, Potter?" Snape asked silkily, "My, my, the Ministry'll have a field day with you."
More sounds of vicious fighting. James glanced anxiously at the stairway, grabbing Snapes' arm "Come on, you idiot!"
Snape shook him off, "Don't touch me!" He started for the stairs, James made to grab him again, but Snape whirled and drew his wand, "Just give me a reason and I will."
James had drawn his too with lightening fast reflexes, "Don't make me!" he warned, "You can't go up there! He-it will kill you!"
"Surely there's no need to resort to melodrama, Potter," Snape returned coolly, disregarding what James had just told him.
"It's the truth," he retorted, grinding his teeth in anger, "I don't like you Snape, I won't insult either of our intelligences by pretending otherwise, but I'm not just going to stand by and let you kill yourself!"
"How very noble of you," replied Snape sardonically. "But the problem is that I don't believe a word you say. Just give me one good reason why I should?"
James was almost ready to scream in desperation, why was he being so damned obstinate?! "Do you think this is some kind of a joke?" he hissed through his teeth, "Do I look like I'm enjoying this? For once, don't be such a complete jerk and take a bit of advice, if you want to live, leave now!!"
The glared at each other for a long moment before they both cried, "Expelliarmus!" Their wands shot out of their hands, hitting the roof before landing uselessly on the other side of the room. Snape turned and dashed up the stairs, James lunged after him grabbing onto his leg as he slipped round the twisting staircase. Snape kicked out, catching James hard on the cheek. He swore and doggedly followed Snape.
"Don't let him out!" James yelled as he threw himself at Snape again, just as his hand reached the door handle. He wrenched it open and caught a momentary glimpse of a maddened werewolf, before the door was slammed hard in his face. At that moment James collided with Snape, grabbing him tightly. Snape jerked backwards, overbalancing them both and they tumbled back down the stairs crashing painfully into the walls at each bend. By the time they both reached the bottom, both were thoroughly dazed, although James had received the brunt of the injuries as he was on the bottom, partially shielding Snape.
Dumbledore came bursting through the entrance, Lily close on his heels. He took in everything in a moment and shot a bolt of blue lightening at the doorway to the stairs. It spread to cover the whole space in an opaque shield. Pushing past her Headmaster she knelt between the two boys anxiously checking their wounds. Snape was just a bit dazed and had a large bump appearing on his forehead, but James had, in addition to this, a broken arm and a nasty gash on his forehead.
Just as she had done with Arimis, she placed her hands over the wound and commanded it to heal. It did so with ease, the blood on her hands and his head was the only sign it had ever been there. She wiped both away with the edge of her robes and turned her attention to his arm. Not even registering that Dumbledore had swept Snape out of the room on a stretcher before she had even begun to work her magic.
James groaned and moved awkwardly on the ground, his face was very pale, and when he opened his eyes, they were wide and frantic, "Snape?"
"It's alright," Lily replied soothingly, smoothing back his hair on his forehead, "Dumbledore's taken him outside, everything's fine, just lie still."
He obeyed and closed his eyes. When she placed a hand on his broken arm she drew a hiss from his clenched teeth, "I won't hurt you," she assured him in a low voice. Again a silver glow radiated from her hands as his bone knit back together, sinew by sinew. He sighed as the pain vanished and opened his eyes, "Alright?" she asked, "Do you think you can stand?"
He nodded and lurched to his feet, she stepped forwards to steady him, wrapping a supporting arm round his waist. He slung his own arm round her shoulder and together the two of them made their way out and down the tunnel. She was fairly tall for a girl and the top of her head came up to just past his chin. As they walked his head leant against hers.
At the other end, Dumbledore was waiting for them, just out of reach of the willow's branch. Snape was standing now, nursing the bump on his head and muttering darkly to himself.
"Alright Mr Potter?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes surveying him searchingly.
"I'll live," James replied, not wanting to risk shaking his head as he was feeling rather dizzy at that moment.
"As will Mr Snape," Dumbledore said, turning to the slytherin who looked up sharply, "and you would do well to remember that," he said sternly, "Mr Potter saved you life tonight, at great personal risk I might add."
Snape muttered something that sounded very much like, "you would."
Dumbledore frowned, "Severus."
For a moment, Snape looked discomforted but when he took a look at James he was angry again, "None of this would have happened if it wasn't for him anyway! He's keeping a werewolf in there!"
"James is not 'keeping' anything in there," replied Dumbledore, "That 'werewolf' has my permission to remain in there, and while it is there it is perfectly safe."
"Safe? Safe??" spluttered Snape, "Are you mad?"
A look from Dumbledore halted him immediately and he muttered a reluctant apology.
"How does he know about it then?" Snape demanded, he looked at James, clearly thinking things through in his mind.
"Before you draw any hasty conclusions, Mr Snape," Dumbledore cautioned, "I would-"
"Lupin," Snape cried, almost triumphantly, "it's him isn't it? All that nonsense about a sick mother, when all the time, all the time-"
"-That's enough, thank you," Dumbledore interrupted firmly, "I want to speak to you both in my office now. Miss Evans, it seems you've been unwittingly caught up in all this so I'll have to ask you to join us too."
Together they made their way up to the castle. Lily still supporting James with Dumbledore in between him and Snape, who kept casting dark looks at James, his mouth set in a thin line.
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A/N: Well done to all the clever people who caught the hint of what was coming in this chapter! I was wondering if anyone would get it. Sooooo interesting developments right? Lily finds out second hand about Remus and could you feel the tension between her and James in the Greenhouse?? I sense much excitement to come (of course I would say that wouldn't I? ^__^)
Well, review people! This was a quicker update then the other too because I got so many reviews, keep up the reviews ppl and thanks to everyone who has added me to their favourite authors list- I love you guys!
xxx