A/N: sorry this has taken so long dudes, thanks to evry1 who reviewed, I love u guyz heapz! ZG & socks and tea cosies, you guyz already knew that I luv ya! Aphordite, u were mi first reviewer & I luv u so much I actually used u as mi inspiration for this chapter :D feel privileged:-) lol luv u heapz guys, plz R&R, I kno im bad at adding chapters so plz just enjoy this one… it culd be the last one you get for a little while… lol:-) ENJOY!
In Transfiguration, their teacher, Professor McGonagall, started to tell them about a NEWT level spell called Aphroditas.
"A spell, which, when used unwisely, can cause a great amount of damage!" McGonagall drilled into them all. James, who was actually paying attention this day, stuck his hand up.
"Damage? This spell? Seriously, Professor, a spell like this couldn't cause that much damage could it?"
Remus was impressed. McGonagall hadn't even explained the spell yet, and James was brave enough to contradict her already. Apparently, Professor McGonagall was a bit unimpressed for the same reasons.
"Potter, I haven't even yet explained the properties of the spell, or what they do, and yet you dare to contradict me?" she asked, nostrils flaring. Unlike most students, James did not back down. He swung on the two back legs on his chair and gave his professor a level look.
"Well, personally, I think it's obvious what the spell involves," he said lazily. Noticing that some girls on his right were looking at him intensely, he ran his fingers through his shock of messy jet black hair.
"Take the name of the spell, Aphroditas. Aphrodite is the Greek Goddess of Love, right? In ancient times, she had power to make you fall in or out of love with anyone she wished. If you worshipped her, you got the one you wanted. If you dishonoured her in any way, you would risk being hated by everybody you know and loved yourself. If it still worked this way nowadays, I would worship her every night!" He added, with a lovesick glance at Lily. Remus noticed Lily look away as always whenever James did something like that, but, much to Remus's discomfort, she had also turned a soft shade of pale pink.
"Interesting, Potter, that you have such a background into Ancient Greek Mythology. However, you have not given a reason to why you think that this is not dangerous!" Remus felt himself side with the Professor. James was an idiot, showing his feelings for Lily in class, she would never like a guy like him, one who ruffled his hair to make it look like he had just been out flying, one who dared to argue with the teacher about things he knew nothing about, one who thought he was hot property and he would be doing Lily a favour if he went out with her… Remus felt his hands clench into fists and he told himself to relax.
"Well…" James started. Remus jumped. He had forgotten he was in the classroom. "I'm assuming that this is a sort of Love Spell?" James inquired. McGonagall nodded stiffly.
"Of such."
"In that case, the thing that I am failing to see is why Love is so dangerous? What about Love can cause so much damage? It is something that can make you the happiest person in the world. We are taught that Love is more important than Galleons and Sickles and Knuts. Every night before bed, children say to their parents, I Love you mum and dad. Love is supposed to be the one thing that can survive anything. Most people would do anything to save a friends life; not for the rewards, but for the Love and joy it brings. Without Love we are basically the same as Dementors: shallow, sad and desperate. Please tell me: what about Love is really that dangerous or damageable?" James stopped, and the room was silent. The room seemed stunned. The silence was broken by a soft sob from the back.
"Wow, that's really deep!" said a girl's voice quietly. James grinned at Sirius, who gave swift thumbs up at James, indicating his head at something. Frowning slightly, Remus followed his gaze to where Sirius was indicating. Lily Evans was staring at James (as was almost the whole class), and Remus wasn't sure if he was seeing things or not, but he thought he saw tears welling up in her eyes. Uncomfortable and speechless by her beauty at the same time, Remus shifted his gaze to Professor McGonagall, who seemed to be waiting patiently for the class to pay attention again. Slowly, the class drew their gazes onto their professor to see her response.
"While James makes an excellent point- and he can take 15 points to Gryffindor for it- I am sad to say I have to point out a few flaws in his theory."
"You don't have to," James called out. "You could just leave it at that and say what a good, well educated, handsome young man I am!" Everybody in the class laughed, and the dazed spell which had been cast over them since James had given his point of view was broken.
"As much as I would like to do that, Potter, I am afraid I can't let you all leave this class deluded and under false impressions. Love can be a splendid thing, but what about the downsides? Is it really hatred and greed that makes us go for what we want in life? Or is it the Love and admiration we think we will win by getting there that force us to keep going? What about crimes of passion? Do people really kill out of hatred when they see someone cheating on them? Or do they kill because they can't bear to face the fact that the one they love does not love them back? What about the more simple things? Say, if Sirius here was in love with, say… Lily…" James, Sirius, Remus and Lily all looked up, startled.
"And, if… Peter was in love with her as well, do you think that this would all be settled with a flip of a galleon? A nice friendly talk between Peter and Sirius? No, this would be- more than likely- settled as a Wizards duel. Blood could be spilt, egos hurt, and reputations bruised. And then, what would happen if it turned out that Lily actually liked… Remus? What would Sirius and Peter do then? Decide, right, we've lost? Or would they decide to fight Remus too, just for the Love of one lady? You see, class, Love can be a great and wonderful thing, but it can also be a horrid ugly thing when people treat it undeservedly. Love is not something you win in a fight. Love is the thing that replaces hope when hope fails, creates dreams and builds them up, and it is because of Love, that there are so many wars in the world today. If we all took the time to treat Love fairly, perhaps we could make the world a much better place!" McGonagall smiled at Remus, Peter, Sirius and Lily.
"And you four can all take five points each for being my examples!" Remus stared at his Professor. She had just given out 35 points in one lesson. Maybe miracles do happen, and maybe there was a chance he could get Lily!
"Now, Aphroditas…"
Three quarters of an hour later, the classroom was full of woozy teenagers trying to get hold of their feelings. The spell did not create real love, or even an infatuation, but it brought out your deepest feelings for a person. Unfortunately, as Remus looked around, he could see at least two couples already split up after the results of the spell. He turned back to his partner for today, Peter. He was looking oddly at Professor McGonagal, and suddenly, without any warning, he pounced at her, declaring his Love for her! The class started laughing as they watched Professor McGonagal trying to force Peter off her. Suspicious, Remus looked towards James and Sirius, also pairs for the day. James gave an innocent look at Remus, who returned it with a glare. James sighed, muttered something under his breath, and pointed his wand at Peter. Automatically, Peter jumped away from McGonagal, looking disgusted. McGonagal looked suspiciously around the class, and then quickly silenced the class with a deathly stare. Glaring, she ordered Peter, James, Sirius, Remus and Lily forward to her desk. Slowly, chatter began to build up in the classroom again as people got on with things.
"Never, would I expect such horrid cruelty towards your fellow friend and Gryffindor, Mr. Potter. As for you, Mr. Black, I am ashamed to say that you just went along with Potter's bad behaviour. Remus, Lily, did you have anything to do with this?" Remus did not answer. He would not let his friends face punishment alone, but he did not want Lily to think him a bad friend. As he stood there silently, Lily spoke up.
"Professor, it wasn't James, I swear. I cursed Peter to make him act like that. It was an accident though, I promise. I muddled up the Aphroditas spell, and ended up cursing Peter in the process. Please do not punish James for my mistake." Remus' mouth dropped open. What was Lily doing, masking James' stupidity as her own mistake? James seemed to have the same idea.
"Professor, don't believe her. I don't know why, but Lily- Evans- is lying. She doesn't need to though. I take responsibility for everything. Peter, mate, it was a joke. I swear," James said sincerely to Peter. Peter averted his eyes and nodded. Sirius started inching away, getting out of McGonagal's line of fire. She looked at the remaining four in front of her, nostrils flaring again. Finally, she spoke.
"Potter, Evans, I can not determine which of you is telling the truth. Therefore, you are both on detention tonight, 8 o Clock, my office. Pettigrew, you have extra homework. By this year you should have mastered overthrowing simple spells. Not being able to overthrow an uncomplicated charm at your level is despicable. Write an essay on any aspect of the Aphroditas spell you choose. You may go back to your desk and start it now." McGonagal watched Peter back to his desk, before turning back to Remus, James, and Lily.
"Now, Remus, did you have anything to do with this?" McGonagal questioned again.
"NO!" James and Lily jumped in right away. The Professor looked at Remus warily once more, and then sent the three of them back to their desks, reminding Lily and James of their looming detention.
Remus was frustrated at himself. What was Lily defending James for? James was a show off! Remus heard her tinkling laugh and his heart soared. Then it plummeted downward as he heard James Potter reply to her.
"Lils, why? Why aren't you letting me take the blame for it? You don't need to be having detention tonight!"
"James, don't be an idiot. You have enough detentions as it is, why did you insist on having this one too?"
"Hey, Lily, I have a question for you…" (By now Remus was shamelessly eavesdropping, his gut was curling in jealousy, he wanted to be talking and laughing with Lily, James didn't deserve her…)
"Ask away."
"Do you think this spell is still working? Because I suddenly have an urge to tell you how beautiful I think you are!" Remus whipped around. James was smiling into Lily's face. Remus felt crushed when Lily, instead of slapping James's face as she normally would, instead blushed and bit her lip. She slowly looked back up at James.
"James, that speech you made about Love today. I have to know, was it sincere, or just because you wanted to act like a smart-arse?"
"I swear on my life, I meant every word."
"Then it was beautiful, and I saw a side of you I've never seen before!"
"Lily, I know this kind of mushy stuff is not usually my forte, but I just got to ask you one more time: will you please go out with me? Even if it's just once? I promise I will do whatever I can for you, cater to your every need, even when this spell wears off and I feel like an absolute dickhead for proclaiming my love for you!"
Remus seethed. Acting like a dickhead was exactly what James was doing, and Remus knew that he was only doing it to appeal to Lily's soft side. But Lily would never fall for crap like that. She couldn't. She would have to see, under the Aphroditas spell or not, that James was not for her. She was too good for him! Remus smiled as the silence wore on. Maybe Lily was seeing sense. Maybe she liked someone different, and would turn James down right away. Maybe she liked- Remus's heart skipped a beat- maybe she liked him?
Lily cleared her throat. Remus jumped and stepped closer to hear her reply. He needed her to say no. he needed it like he needed air and food. Lily opened her mouth…
"James, I will go out with you. Even if it is just once. I need to figure out the real you, and I'm guessing it's not the guy you parade around pretending to be. Just please, leave your ego behind!" James laughed and leaned a bit closer to Lily. Looking up, he realised Remus was staring at him. James gave him a huge grin and the slightest of a thumbs-up. Remus raised his eyebrows and nodded slightly, inclining his happiness for James. But in his stomach, he felt sour and disappointed. And in his heart, he felt broken and destroyed. Sure, Love could be the wonderful things James and McGonagal had described it as. But how come, this time it was because of Love that Remus felt like he was dying?
A/N: SO pplz it's horrible, bad, & completely corny! HELP! If you have ideas to help my writing improve, then plz feel free to tell me. If ya want to send me reviews telling me this is CRAP, feel free as well, ill take it on board & make sure that the next chapter is kick-ass! Lol! Newayz, please please please don't hold this crap chapter against me, im not a very good comedy/romance/whatever writer, k? Im just writin coz I wanna! I luv u guyz!
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