Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. All characters belong to a woman with a great imagination and determination, capable of creating this world that is the center of so many stories.
Chapter 5 – Second Chances"Calm down, Evans," James said, seating himself on the sofa. Giving her time to think while they walked to their dorms was definitely a bad idea. "Look, you have to let me explain."
"No, Potter, I don't have to do anything. I could've become a werewolf. I could have died, Potter!"
"Look, I admit that we made a mistake-"
"A mistake, Potter? No, a mistake would be to misplace a book. A mistake would be to try to climb up my stairs. Forgetting there's a full moon when your best friend is a wild werewolf is NOT a mistake!" Lily yelled, getting up and walking towards him, shaking with rage.
"Look, do you think that Remus would have wanted you, or anyone else, to get hurt?"
"If he didn't want to hurt anyone he would have never come to this school knowing what he was!"
"Evans, do you really blame a six-year-old for playing in the woods and getting bitten by a werewolf? Do you blame a wizard for wanting to be part of his own culture by becoming a wizard?"
"And Dumbledore is fine with this? He knows?"
"The only reason Remus could go to school was because Dumbledore was Headmaster. That's why he's three years older than us."
"The teachers willingly let a werewolf into the building? And since when are you an animagus? You're not even registered!"
"Don't you think I know that?" James snapped. Lily got up and moved across the room to the door. She turned around.
"Well, I've had just about enough of this. No matter how nice and sane Remus seems, I cannot allow this monstrosity to continue! I'd have expected better judgment from Remus, but I guess you and your idiotic friends have screwed up his brain. No wonder he didn't stop you all those times in fifth year."
"Idiotic friends? Evans, you're mental!"
"I'm mental? I'm not the one who takes evening strolls with a werewolf every month putting others at risk! Did you even consider the consequences of your bloody impulses?" Lily yelled and opened the door. "Now I'm going to have a word with the Headmaster!"
"Evans! No!" James yelled, springing from his seat and running after her. He caught up as she rounded the corner. "Evans, what do you think you're doing?" he hissed quietly, looking around for other students.
"What do you think I'm doing Potter?" Lily asked, not bothering to keep her voice down. "I'm going to expose this lie you and your friends have been living since you started school. Potter, I am doing the right thing!" Lily said, boring her eyes into his.
"Are you trying to convince me or you?" James said quietly. Lily scowled.
"The right thing to do was not to become illegal-" Lily started but could not finish because James put his hand over her mouth and pushed her into a dark abandoned classroom. He locked the door behind him and enchanted it. Lily pulled his hand off her mouth. "What's the big idea of this, Potter? Let me out!"
"I can't. Not until I'm absolutely sure you won't do what you had been planning to!"
"It's my duty as Head Girl to report if potential life-threatening dangers exist!"
"Evans…Lily…this is the one chance Remus has of a normal life. It's the only normal thing in his life. And…if you report us, we go straight to Azkaban. Next to the dementors and Death Eaters in there. I…I can't go there, Lily! I can't go to Azkaban now!" James said, his eyes wide and fearful. Lily's voice died in her throat. "Look…we, the Marauders, we made an oath. It was to stick by each other at all times…to lay our necks on the line for each other. I can't break that oath and allow you to send me and my friends to a prison when we're so close to graduating that we could almost smell the Auror uniforms waiting for us. We…we all have to graduate. We have to go fight Voldemort. Don't take that away from us, Lily. It's the only thing we have left to hope for."
Lily looked at him, seeing the great James Potter close to shedding tears for the second time in one day. She knew it was agonizing for him to stand there, in the dark classroom, and throw away his pride to beg her not to tell. "Look…I don't agree with what you were doing or what you did. But, against all better judgment, I am giving you a second chance. But if I see or hear one howl or stag or black dog anywhere on the grounds during a full moon, I'm going straight to Dumbledore and I will not be persuaded otherwise!"
James pulled her into a hug. "Thanks," he said, letting go. "This…it means a lot to me. And to the others."
Lily nodded, still shocked at this turn of events. He opened the door, and she walked out, heading back to the dorm. James followed her in silence until they reached their living room. Lily stopped halfway to her room, on the stairs. James looked at her, puzzled. "It's…it's great that you have such friends. It's great that they have someone like you," she said without turning around. James smiled sadly, recognizing a confession of loneliness. "I…I wish I had…I had…" she stopped and quickly bounded up the stairs, closing the door behind her. She leaned against the door, her eyes closed and quiet tears falling down her cheeks. She heard the door to James's room close. "I wish I had someone like you," she whispered. Her hand came up and wiped her cheeks as she got into her bed, falling asleep from fatigue immediately.
Sins of Angels: Sorry this is rather short but it seemed the right time to end it. Promise the next one will be longer! Anyway, feel free to review and point out mistakes or, a rare case, give compliments. Either way, I hope you enoyed my story so far!