Stag and Flower
Chapter 4: Three 'No's and two 'Yes'
The next morning at breakfast, Lily sat with Meredith and Katherine.
"You have got to let us use your loo sometimes," Meredith demanded after Lily described her new living quarters.
"Only if you let me sleep in my old bed every once in a while. Sharing a common room with Potter is going to get very old very fast," said Lily and she launched into her I-hate-Potter speech. But Katherine and Meredith were ignoring her. They had both heard her ramblings once a week since third year. Lily finally finished with her usual, "He'll never change." Katherine racked her brain for something to say to change the subject but Meredith had already found something.
"Here comes McGonagall with our schedules," she said. Lily looked to her left and sure enough her Transfiguration teacher was working her way down the long table handing bits of parchment to the Gryffindors as she went. A moment later she had reached the three girls.
"Miss Hart. Miss de Prix. Miss Evans," she said stiffly giving them each a schedule. "I would like to personally say good luck this year. Yours is the best year of Gryffindors we've had in a while."
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall," the three said happily. When the woman had gone, they compared schedules. Lily's looked pretty easy.
Monday: Defense Against the Dark Arts, Break, Lunch, Charms, Potions
Tuesday: Transfiguration, Break, Lunch, Break, Astronomy
Wednesday: Defense Against the Dark Arts, Break, Lunch, Break
Thursday: Charms, Break, Lunch, Potions, Break
Friday: Defense Against the Dark Arts, Break, Lunch, Transfiguration, Astronomy
"When you have Potions, I have Herbology and Meredith has a break. And on Tuesday and Thursday during your break after Potions, I also have a break but Meredith has Divination."
"I can't believe you are still taking Divination," said Lily.
"Just because you think it is stupid doesn't mean we all do. Besides, I'm really good. I'm sure I have Seer blood in me somewhere. What I can't believe is that you're still taking Potions. How can you stand another year of Slughorn?"
"Because Lily here is one of his favorites," said Katherine in a teasing voice.
"Because it is my best class other than Charms," Lily said.
"Whatever. What do we have today?" asked Meredith.
"Defense, Charms, then we go our separate ways. Me to Potions, Kat to Herbology, and Meredith has a break. Tear," Lily said, making all three of them laugh.
James was sitting at the end of the table with the rest of the Marauders, planning the start of term prank.
"Okay, plans will commence at dinner this evening. Sirius, help Peter with the spell. He doesn't seem too certain that he can do it. We don't want any injuries. Well, we don't want any major injuries," James chuckled.
"Here comes McGonagall with our schedules," Sirius said. "Hey Minnie. How was your summer?"
"Professor McGonagall, please, Black," she said, though without much conviction.
"You got it," he said happily.
"Here are your schedules," she said before walking away toward the staff table.
"Let's see. We have Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, and Astronomy together. Then James and I have Potions while Remus has a break and Peter has Herbology. And while Remus has Arithmancy the rest of us have a break. Sounds pretty easy," said Sirius.
"Hey guys? I'll be right back," James said standing up. He walked down to where Lily was sitting with her friends. When he reached them, he sat down and said, "Hey Hart, Frenchie, Evans."(Only her closest friends called her Kat or Katherine. Everyone else called her Frenchie.)
"What do you want, Potter?" asked Lily.
"Just wanted to compare schedules is all," he said kindly. "May I see yours?" Lily just shoved her schedule into his hands without answering.
"Ahhh. We have every class together. Sirius too."
"I couldn't be happier," Lily said sarcastically.
"Neither could I. May I see yours, Hart?" Meredith handed it to him. "You and Remus have the same. Only when you have Divination, he has Arithmancy. Frenchie?" Katherine handed him her schedule. "You and Peter have the same schedule."
"Thank you," said Lily though she didn't really sound grateful. "We're leaving now." And the three got up and made to walk out but James called, "Hey Evans. Will you go out with me?"
"No."
The morning went by quickly and Meredith found herself completely alone during her break. Her friends had only been gone about five minutes when she remembered what James had said earlier.
"You and Remus have the same. Only when you have Divination, he has History of Magic." Meredith had liked Remus for a while now so she took advantage of the break to spend time with him. She found him in the Gryffindor common room, reading a book as usual. She walked over and sat next to him on the couch. When he felt the couch go down, he looked up.
"Hey, Meredith," he said.
"Hey, Remus."
"You have an empty block, too."
"No, I'm skiving off," she said seriously.
"Really?"
"No," she laughed and he laughed too. She honestly didn't know what was so funny and that made her laugh harder which made him laugh harder. Finally, they composed themselves. They sat in silence before Remus blurted out, "IreallylikeyouandIthinkyouarereallyprettyandfunnyandsmartanddoyouwanttogowithmetoHogsmeade?"
When Meredith didn't say anything, he thought she hadn't understood him and was going to repeat himself but before he could start she answered him.
"I would love to go to Hogsmeade with you." And she leaned in and placed a short, sweet kiss on his lips. They sat there, holding hands, quietly talking about the upcoming year.
Lily sat in the library doing homework before dinner when she heard something behind her. She turned around to see James reading her work over her shoulder.
"Potter! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she yelled.
"Shhh, we're in a library," he said smiling.
"Whatever, I'm gone." She put all of her things back in her bag and walked out of the library. She went back to the Head common room, left her things, and walked back down to the Great Hall where she sat with Meredith and Katherine.
"What's up?" Katherine asked tilting her head in confusion.
"Potter," was all Lily said.
"Ahhh, well Meredith has good news that should cheer you up."
"Mmm?"
"Remus asked me to Hogsmeade today!" she said in a high-pitched girly voice that really didn't sound like her.
"I didn't know you liked Remus. I thought you and Black would end up together. You're like the female version of him," said Lily.
"Exactly. What girl would want to date herself?"
"Good point. Where is Remus? Shouldn't you two be sitting by each other making googly eyes and what not like all the other couples in Hogwarts?"
"He said he had something to do with the rest of the Marauders."
"Did he say what it was?"
"No." And looking around, Lily noticed that although the Great Hall was very full this evening, the four Marauders were nowhere to be seen. But then Lily saw the boys walk in with mischievous looks on their faces that Lily knew all too well. They were planning something but before Lily could get up to say anything something strange happened.
It felt as if the whole room had been flipped upside down. The floor was now the ceiling and vise versa. Lily looked to her left and saw her friends upside down also. Strangely, no one fell out of his or her seats and no food fell. As Lily felt a pounding in her head from all the blood, she noticed the Marauders were right side up just inside the Entrance Hall and laughing hysterically. Lily decided to take care of them after she fixed the room. Luckily, Lily knew the counter jinx and pulled her wand out. When the Great Hall was back to normal, Lily got up and started to walk toward the Entrance Hall. When she reached the doors, she met Professor McGonagall.
"Professor, do you think I could handle this?" Lily asked hopefully. McGonagall squinted her eyes but then said, "Go right ahead."
Lily smiled and strutted over to where the four boys were standing near the marble staircase.
"My dearest Lily! How are you?" said Sirius triumphantly.
"Shut up Black before you get into more trouble," Lily said coldly.
"Trouble? What for?" Remus said innocently.
"For that stunt the four of you just pulled."
"Oh, that. Wasn't it fantastic?" said James.
"No. Someone could have gotten seriously hurt. That kind of charm has been known to backfire badly."
"We'll never do it again, Evans," said James.
"Promise," said Remus.
"Swear to Merlin," said Sirius.
"Yeah," added Peter lamely.
"Well I think that writing lines will ensure that it never happens again. 'I will not endanger the student body with silly charms.' A thousand times each. Due to me tomorrow after dinner."
"Oh, come on, Lilykins," said Sirius.
"We have a load of homework already," said James.
"'I will not endanger the student body with silly charms.' A thousand times each. Due to me tomorrow after dinner," Lily repeated slowly.
"I'm supposed to be hanging out with Meredith tonight. May I be excused?" asked Remus.
Lily thought about it before saying, "Fine. You only have eight hundred. But I want them tomorrow and Meredith will not be an excuse."
"Thank you."
Lily started back toward the Great Hall before turning back and saying, "Oh, and, Black? It's Evans to you."
September passed quickly and before anyone knew it the first Hogsmeade trip on the second weekend of October had crept up. Since the start of school the older students had been pairing off and were now looking forward to getting out of the castle.
At lunch on the Monday before that weekend, Lily was sitting with the most unlikely company. Since Meredith and Remus had gotten together, they'd been sitting beside each other at every meal. That meant that Lily was stuck with James not only in classes and in the dorms but also at mealtime. Although Lily had now gotten used to it, she couldn't help but feel a little angry with Meredith.
Lily was almost finished eating when James began, "Lily would you-"
But Lily knew what was coming and firmly said, "No."
Just then, Micheal Pellerin, a handsome Hufflepuff boy, tapped her on the shoulder.
"Lily, could I speak with you for a moment?" he said in a deep husky voice, nodding to a corner of the Great Hall. Lily stood up and walked over to the corner, Micheal right behind her.
"I was just wondering if you were going with anyone to Hogsmeade this weekend," he said kindly.
"Not yet, no. Why?" Lily asked.
"Would you like to go with me?"
This took Lily slightly by surprise. She'd known Micheal since fifth year when they had both become prefects. He was nice and gentlemanly and of course very good looking but she'd never really been attracted to him. But if there was one thing that Lily hated it was breaking someone's heart, other than James' of course.
"Sure," she finally said. "I would really like that."
"Great! I'll meet you in the entrance hall after breakfast on Saturday. Okay?"
"Okay." They both went back to their own tables. When Lily sat down, she kept her eyes on the table, fully aware of the blush that was heating her cheeks. Finally, when Meredith cleared her throat, Lily looked up.
"Well?" Katherine asked.
"Well what?" replied Lily.
"Don't play stupid. What did Micheal want?"
"Oh, he just asked me to Hogsmeade," said Lily, dismissively.
"And? What did you say?" Meredith pressed.
"I said yes," Lily said quietly. Her two friends squealed and Lily looked away. She had forgotten all about James and his friends and seeing them there was kind of shocking. Remus, Sirius, and Peter were all looking at James who was staring at the back of Micheal Pellerin's head as if he would have liked to bash it in. After a moment of "Oh my god, you would be the cutest couple!" and "I hear he is a great kisser," James finally spoke.
"Why would you go out with Pellerin? He's a sorry pretty boy with no brains. And he's in Hufflepuff," he said bitterly.
"You're just jealous that I said yes to him on the first try and you've been asking for four years and all you ever get is a lousy no!" Lily snapped. "I'm leaving." She made to stand up but James stopped her.
"Don't bother. I'll leave." And James got his things and stomped out of the Great Hall in a huff.
Three days later, Katherine came in to the Great Hall looking highly amused. She sat down with Lily and Meredith. After the little scene on Monday, Lily had made Meredith leave Remus during mealtimes.
"What's so funny?" asked Meredith.
"It isn't funny really. Well I guess it is but it would be embarrassing for him if I told you," Katherine said between giggles.
"Spill," demanded Lily.
"Well, Pettigrew…he…kind of…"
"Spit it out!" her friends said together.
"Alright, alright. He just asked me to Hogsmeade," Katherine finally blurted out then seeing the looks of horror on her friends' faces added, "But I said no."
"What did he do?" asked Meredith.
"Well he kind of walked off…in tears."
"You made him cry?" asked Lily incredulously. Katherine was about to say that she didn't mean to when Remus came up to them from the end of the table.
"Have any of you seen Peter? He hasn't shown up for dinner yet and he's usually the first one here," he asked in a concerned voice.
"You might want to check the toilets. He's probably cutting his wrists by now," Meredith said after kissing him on the cheek.
"Why would he do that?"
"Ask Katherine," said Lily.
"Oh, Frenchie, what did you do to him?" Remus asked in a now teasing voice.
"It isn't my fault he's a sensitive little sissy boy!" And she stomped off to the library leaving her friends in tears from laughing so hard.
