What Happened Next

The sequel to Lakeside Rendezvous

Chapter One

The Problem with James

When Lily finally returned to the Gryffindor common room, she was not pleased. After cursing James Potter for the umpteenth time, she furtively glanced around the vast expanse of Hogwarts grounds and clambered out of the lake to quickly grab her wand. She had finally come to her senses and conjured up her clothes. However, Lily wasn't the best in conjuring and her clothes were several sizes too small, patched , or torn in several places and overall, raggedy garments. Fuming, Lily stomped into the castle. Embarrassment and humiliation were gnawing on her insides like a squirrel on a nut.

Dusk had descended upon the sky and the common room was bathed in a reddish glow. Lily quickly spotted her friends, Imogen Moss and Andromeda Black seated by the fire, dutifully completing their homework. She hurried over, ignoring the pondering, wondering eyes she past.

"Andie! Gen!" she hissed.

Andie and Gen glanced up. When they saw Lily, her mouths dropped open simultaneously.

Andie, the willowy, frizzy, black-haired of the two, spoke first. "Lily…my girl…what happened to you?"

"It was that git, James wasn't it?" Gen answered for her grimly, disgust written over her mouse-like face.

With a long breath, Lily proceeded to tell her friends the story of skinny dipping and James Potter pilfering her clothes and running away like a maniac. Their reactions weren't what she expected.

"You skinny dipped?" cried Andie, unable to mask her surprise.

"Shut up-"whispered Lily, glancing cautiously around. Gen giggled nervously, gazing at Lily as if she'd never seen her before in her life.

"I can't believe it-" she said, her voice oddly high-pitched; even for her.

"I know!" Andie exclaimed, "I thought I'd be the first to do that sort of thing-"

"Well, Andie, life is full of surprises, get over it," Lily replied tersely, her head throbbing.

Andie sniffed, but her eyes were glinting mischievously in the firelight. Lily and Gen exchanged a glance; they knew that look.

"You must be very angry at James," Andie addressed Lily.

Lily nodded as Gen pulled out her wand and conjured a new set of clothes for her.

"Obviously," Gen sniffed for Lily. "He might be good-looking, but he's a jerk if I've ever known one-"

Lily smiled at Gen's loyalty.

Andie rubbed her hands together. "Revenge is the only answer."

"No!" Lily protested. "I don't want to get in trouble-"

Andie sighed, rising from her seat and pacing about. "The good Lily is back…but I believe the bold Lily still exists within you. Don't you want to humiliate him, give him a taste of his own poison…teach him a lesson? For once? You can't always sit back and take it, Lil. Take a stand!" Andie finished her speech on a confident note, gazing at Lily expectantly.

Hardly thinking, Lily stood up. "You're awfully persuasive, Andromeda,"

"Oh, I know," Andie giggled, flouncing back to her seat and flopping down. Gen's eyes widened slightly. "Well, speak of the victim…"

Lily wheeled around to face James Potter.

The recent memory frothed and bubbled in her mind, rising to the surface. Lily blinked away the images quickly. Her vein throbbed dangerously and her blood boiled.

"Come to return my clothes?" she said in a voice that made the Arctic seem a warm and cosy place in comparison.

To her fury, James smirked his classic smirk.

"No-they're hanging in my closet-"

"You pig-" began Gen angrily, just as James's partner in crime, Sirius Black hurried over.

Andie immediately narrowed her eyes. "My cousin as granted us with his presence. Hey, Sirius, did you hear what Lily did today?"

Sirius's mouth twitched. "Oh yeah, in great depth and detail."

Lily flushed crimson, staring James in the eye.

"You're going to pay, Potter!"

James ran his hand through his unruly black hair, his hazel eyes twinkling with mirth at Lily.

"You amuse me, Evans."

"Oh, yeah?" hissed Lily, her voice nearly snarl. He'd most definitely gone too far this time. She let herself succumb to temptation.

She slapped him.

Hard.

Right across the left cheek.

James staggered back, clutching his cheek. Pain and shock were written plainly across his features. Lily, biting her tongue to stop herself from uttering sorry, stalked upstairs to her room. She left four Gryffindors behind, astounded.

"Well, that's a first-" mused Andie.

"Shut up-" mumbled James, stumbling backward, still clutching his face.

Lily tossed and turned in bed, her head still reeling from the events of the day. She winced, thinking of the slap; her palm still smarted from it. It certainly wasn't nice…that was the good Lily speaking. The bold Lily wanted James Potter brought to justice.

Just like Andie had said.

Lily and James had never been friends. She knew he was a mischievous prankster, always falling into trouble with the professors and prefects. Lily's mother would have described James as a young boy with a lot of potential, but the inability to use it properly. Lily stayed away from him, without meaning to. They never actually mixed; James had his group, the Marauders and Lily had Andie and Gen.

It wasn't until fourth year Lily actually noticed James Potter fully. The reason: Gen had developed quite a crush on him. She would scoot from pillar to pillar, eyeing him as he walked to other classes. She would giggle girlishly at every stupid joke he made. Andie scorned her for it, claiming it was pathetic and obsessive.

Lily kept her thoughts to herself. She could see why Gen had taken a liking to James. He was tall with wild black hair, penetrating hazel eyes, a star Quidditch Chaser, and charismatic & popular. Lily could see it, but she never could understand it.

Under the smooth surface, James was just the trouble maker he always was. And he was crowned head jerk when Gen had the courage to confess her feelings for him (partly because of Lily's persistent coaxing) and James plainly told her that he didn't date mice!

Gen's self confidence was crushed…she was in the depths of despair. Lily hated him for it. Most of all she felt guilty that she had convinced Gen to tell. Yet, how could he be so cruel and inconsiderate? He was worse than she thought.

Surprise came, however, the following year, when Andie informed her that Sirius had told her that James had a thing for Lily.

Andie, chuckling, said, "so that explains why he always seems to act extra idiotic when we pass by-"

James had a crush on Lily.

Lily Evans!

He asked her out many time, trying his best to impress and show-off. Except Lily didn't find what he thought to be impressive (torturing Serverus Snape, for instance) anything great.

Ha-like she'd even consider going out with a git like him. Especially after what he had done to Gen.

Why did he like her, anyway?

Gen sniffed and said it was because she was beautiful. But Lily didn't consider herself beautiful. People had a preconceived notion that she was a frail and delicate thing with wide emerald eyes and a shock of auburn hair. She was just an ordinary girl who happened to have (as her mother called it) a striking face.

Andie suggested it was because she was the only girl in Hogwarts who hadn't given him a second glance.

Lily had dubiously questioned if Andie had given James a second glance.

Andie replied in a calm tone that 'yes, in fact she had, and Lily was crazy if she didn't admit that James's was handsome.'

Lily chose not to reply.

Now in bed, Lily shifted uncomfortably. What would tomorrow bring? She thought sleepily. Would Andie have cooked up a revenge scheme already? And how the hell would she face James? These thoughts occupied her as she drifted into a deep slumber.

FFlamingo's Little Note: R&R everyone! Thanks!