CHAPTER 7
"Ah Miss Evans, good to see you're awake." Dumbledore said walking into the hospital.
Lily had been awake for an hour and Ally had just left. She had tried to tell her a silly story about how James had stayed with her almost the entire time. Lily cut her short and dismissed her.
"As soon as Madam Pomfrey feels you are up to it, I wish for you to accompany Mr Potter to my office please, good day." And he walked off.
Great, she thought bitterly, I get to see Potter again.
-scene change-
It had been two weeks since Lily had woken and she had received visits from Ally and strangely Sirius and Remus. James hadn't come back, much to her relief. Though, each time they tried to tell her about James staying by her side but she refused to listen.
Lily finally convinced Madam Pomfrey to let her leave, but she had to take many potions. Lily and James had a meeting with Professor Dumbledore. She really didn't want to go, for she would have to see James again but none the less she muttered the password and trudged up the stairs of Dumbledore's office.
Dumbledore was already inside along with James, and Professor McGonagall. When Lily walked in James turned to look at the carpet, as he couldn't bear to look at the girl he had almost killed.
"Ah, Good Evening Miss Evans, I trust you are well?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes sir."
"Good, good, sherbet?" he asked shaking a bowl of sherbet sticks at her.
"No thank you sir. May I ask what this meeting is about?"
"Ah, yes. Well you see I two things to discuss with you." He took a breath.
"The first is of your living arrangements, I have decided that because of circumstances, it would be best for you to with a friend over the holidays. Therefore I have arranged for you to stay with Miss Knight."
"Phew, and why is Potter here then?" She asked flicking her head in his direction.
"Oh that is the second business, I know this is unusual but I have decided to inform you two that you will be the heads at Hogwarts next year, if you both get your studies back on track. I know you have both been out of action for a while which is why I feel it best to inform you now that if you catch up what will happen."
Lily let here mouth hang open. "Why Potter?" She turned to him, and he looked equally shocked.
"Well, Miss Evans, he has the second highest marks in your year, only to be beaten by yours. However, I only recently made my decision, but he has only very recently proven his responsibility."
"If you don't mind me asking, how did he prove that?"
"You of all people should know that Miss Evans."
James felt his eyes widen. He didn't want Evans to find out he had saved her, or that he had stayed with her so long. Dumbledore had other plans.
"You see, when he saved you-"
"HE WHAT!"
"Yes, Miss Evans he saved you. The night of the accident he found you and came and called me. That was very responsible. He also stayed with you the entire three months you were in a coma, talking to you, and reading to you, he even skipped meals, quidditch and a few classes to help you. That shows extreme responsibility on his part, except the skipping part which he will makeup for. I assumed you knew this." He looked quizzically at the pair, but James knew what was going on. Dumbledore had known all along Lily didn't know about that, they had been discussing it before she had entered.
James felt himself blush, and he was sure Lily did the same.
"You–You mean that prat saved me?" she squeaked. Dumbledore nodded.
"And he sat by my side night and day?" Again Dumbledore nodded.
"You," she turned to James, "What were your ulterior motives?"
James felt his blush turn to anger.
"Maybe I just wanted to show you what a nice caring guy I am." He cried indignantly.
Lily snorted.
"That's not very lady like Evans, you sound like a pig."
"Well better a pig than an arrogant, git and a-"
McGonagall coughed to let them know they were still present, and Dumbledore looked amused.
"Well, that is all." Dumbledore said ushering the out. "Good night to you both."
As they were making their way down stairs Lily turned to James.
"Well…" she started rather nervously. "Thanks I guess Potter, even if you are a prat." She smirked.
"You're Welcome, Evans, even if your are a pig." He smirked back at her as they turned down opposite hallways.
-scene change-
As they exited in a hurry Dumbledore sighed.
"Those two are destined for great things when they unite." He said to McGonagall.
"Surely, you don't think they will ever come together, they can't even be in the same room together without trying to hex each other into oblivion."
"Ah, Minerva, love does strange things to people." He smiled knowingly.
"Lily Evans and James Potter in love, forgive me for saying so but that is impossible."
"That is where you are wrong, the two will slowly realise their true feelings, and I dare say it has already begun. Mr Potter already seems quite smitten with Ms Evans, whether or not he admits it." He paused for a breath.
"It is written in the stars, the story of Lily and James Potter will live on even after their tragic-" He stopped himself short, his blue eyes loosing their familiar twinkle once again.
"It is their destiny, and no matter how horrible it cannot be changed. The seeds are already planted, Minerva, now we wait for them to blossom."
"Albus, even if that did happen, which is highly unlikely, what did you mean by 'destined for great things'?"
"You will see in good time, Minerva, soon you will understand."
With that McGonagall bid him goodnight and left him to think.
"But it is a shame," he said to himself, wiping his glasses, "that after all they accomplish, all the obstacles they face, true love cannot save them in the end."
Even those who are truly pure and good of heart cannot escape the fatal blows fate deals, such a shame.
They are two of the greatest people I will ever know. Their fate is simply unfair, as is life.
He smiled weakly and hoped the two were prepared for what was to come.
-scene change-
The weeks passed by and soon it was a week before the students were to go home for holidays.
Lily and James had seemed to forget all about that night and that whole episode and soon slipped into a routine.
Lily yelled at James, James yelled at Lily. They fight. They hex each other. They loose Gryffindor points.
It was a few nights later that Remus noted that the glances James usually shot towards Lily were getting more and more frequent and not only were they at meal times, but he often caught James staring at her in a few classes. Yet, he also noticed the more James seemed to watch her, the more they seemed to fight. James seemed to be doing more and more things to get her attention.
Oh he's got it bad. He grinned.
It was a Friday night, the night before the students were to return home. James seemed very eager and shot repeated peeks towards Lily, at the other end of the table.
Lily stood up and bid Goodbye to Ally. James let his eyes follow her out of the hall. Remus watched this amusedly.
Not long now, he thought, soon he will be admitting it to himself.
Then James stood up. "Um…I…have to go to…..the library, bye guys," James spoke nervously as he practically sprinted out of the hall.
"Hmm, that was odd." Sirius stated. "I wonder if he knows the library isn't open on Friday nights."
"Yes, very odd indeed, Padfoot." Remus said trying to keep the delight out of his voice.
"I'm going up to the dorms, how about you sneak into Hogsmeade and grab us a few firewhiskeys, take your time."
And Remus too set off, but he did go to the dorms for he knew his friend would need him tonight.
-scene change-
James was frantic, where did Evans go? What if she went to the bathroom and now she's kidnapped? What if she's being blackmailed? What if she's in serious danger? What if she tried to hurt herself again? Not that I care, but I feel I should uphold my duty as a student by protecting other students. Yes, that's it.
He searched the halls, and all the corridors, he considered going outside, but noticed once again it was raining and no one in their right mind would go out in the rain. Wait a minute, he thought, this is Evans, she's not exactly normal.
James looked out the window, shocked to see a figure twirling in the rain. If he had only spared a passing glance he would have thought it a figment of his imagination. There was something curious, even fascinating about this dancing shape. He let his gaze dig deeper as he wandered out the doors into the chilling rain. He stepped out of the warm comfort and into the pouring rain, yet it was surprisingly satisfying.
As he walked closer the figure became more intriguing.
James gasped as he recognized who the captivating form belonged to.
Yet, he stayed and he watched. He watched her long red hair float in the breeze as she twirled. He watched her arms stretch out as her petite body spun. He watched her smiling face, and enchanting emerald eyes light up even more as the rain continued to pelt down. He just watched.
She's different, he thought. She is unlike anyone else I have EVER met. My life was not the same before she arrived.
But was it necessarily better?
James made to move closer, but slipped and ended up sliding down the bank, landing at the redhead's feet.
"Spying on me, Potter?" Lily asked, trying to sound angry, yet her happily dancing eyes betrayed her.
"No, Evans," James started, quickly thinking of an excuse. "I was just wondering what idiot was outside in the rain."
Lily shrugged, his insult bouncing of her shoulders.
"You know, Potter, even you can't get me mad when I'm in the rain." She said tilting her head to look him straight in the eye. "The rain washes away everything, insults, pain, tears."
"Evans-"
"Sssh!" she cut him off with a surprisingly warm finger to his lips. "Listen."
James stood still, listening, he felt butterflies fluttering in his stomach but all he heard were the raindrops making contact with the rough lake water. Perhaps his mind was on something else. Maybe he was concentrating on the fact Lily Evans hadn't moved her finger from his lips. Maybe.
I think she has finally lost her mind, I mean what am I trying to hear? Why did she put her finger on my lips? Why has she not moved her finger? What if she's waiting for me to move it? What if she thinks I like it there? I don't. Not one bit. Ah, she used the peach hand lotion, one of my favourites. NOT THAT I'M SMELLING HER! That would be weird. What if she gets the wrong idea? What if someone were to see this?
As if reading his mind Lily withdrew her hand, a faint blush rising in her cheeks.
"Hmm, I think the sun will be out soon." And with that she turned on her heel and walked silently back to the castle, leaving James to ponder the mystery that is Lily Evans.
-scene change-
James drifted into his dorm later that night, looking confused, lost and wet. Remus was on his bed, Sirius was still in Hogsmeade as he had planned and Peter…well Peter had fallen asleep, someone had locked him in a closet and was almost drowning in a bowl of Pumpkin soup…again.
"James, you ok?" he asked his friend.
"Moony, ha ha didn't see you there, old buddy." James said nervously.
"James you sure you're okay, you seem a little…skittish."
"Well…" James was trying to fight an internal battle, tell Moony or don't tell Moony? Well, if I tell him he might know why I feel this way. TELL HIM.
"You see, Remus..." he started.
Must be serious, Remus thought, he's using real names.
"Um…there's this girl,"
"A girl you say?" Remus asked amused. He knew exactly what this was about. He had observed the way James had been reacting and he had a feeling he knew precisely what girl James was talking about.
"Yes a girl, well…you see, we always fight and lately I just get these weird feelings when I'm around her, I can't explain it."
"Hmm let me guess..." Remus faked a deep-in-thought expression. "You get weak in the knees and all your normal thoughts vanish when you're around her. You think and act different near her. You get butterflies, you get overprotective of her, her smile seems to light up the whole room, you hear her voice when she isn't around, when she gets hurt it feels like your heart is breaking, your life before seemed like nothing compared to after you met her, you think about her constantly and-"
"Alright, alright." James cut him off, it was scaring him how Remus could describe his feelings to a tee.
"Well?" Remus looked at him expectantly.
"Well…ok, Remus, you promise you won't tell?"
"Marauders honour." Remus said his hand over his heart.
"Ok, it's…its Lily."
"Oh, you don't say." Remus said sarcastically.
"Remus!" he playfully hit him on the arm, "how did you know?"
"I'm not daft James, remember, werewolves have sharp eyesight."
"Am I that obvious?"
"No, I can just read people, I guess."
"Right, how long will it take to cure this?" James asked lying on his bed.
Remus snorted. "You can't cure it, it's not a disease, James, there's no escaping it."
"Come on, there has to be."
"No James, there's not, if you've got what I think you've got you're stuck."
"What's the diagnosis, Doc?" James asked playfully.
"Well, I'm not sure you want to hear this James but…" he shot a glance at him. He's a grown boy, Remus thought, he should be able to handle this. "James, I think you like her, maybe even love."
James snorted, "Really Remus, what is it?"
"No, James I'm being serious."
Suddenly James' eyes widened and he jumped up and clamped his hands over his ears.
"NO, NO, NO, THAT'S NOT IT!"
"Yes, James, I think it is."
"NO, IT'S NOT!" He screamed. "LA LA LA, I'M A LITTLE TEAPOT SHORT AND STOUT, HERE IS MY-"
"James, you're being ridiculous." Remus cut off his singing.
"LA LA LA, I CAN TALK LOUDER THAN YOU CAN!" James yelled louder, to block out Remus.
"James, sit." He commanded. "If you don't want to listen to me, leave, please do not start up that again."
"Sorry, Remy, it's just…I'm scared." James admitted.
"I know, James, I know."
"I've never felt this way before, what if-if…people laugh?"
"They won't James."
"Oh, Remy hold me." He cried dramatically, before leaping into Remus' open arms.
"Right, I think it's time to get to bed, James."
"Ok." He said getting into his bed and turning out the light.
There was a few minutes silence, then-
"Remy?"
"Yes James?"
"How did you get to be so wise?"
"I just am James."
"Oh ok,"
He rolled over trying to get to sleep when-
"Remy?"
"Yes James?"
"You won't tell anyone about…how I feel about Lily will you?"
"No James."
"Ok,"
There was quiet.
"Remy?"
"Yes James"
"Not even Sirius?"
"Not even Sirius, James."
"Ok."
He pulled his blankets up, he was comfortable, then-
"Remy?"
"Yes James?"
"You promise?"
"Yes James, as long as you stop calling me Remy."
"Ok then."
There was a moment silence, then-
"Remus?"
"Yes James?" He sounded slightly more agitated.
"Thank you."
"Oh," Remus was taken back, "you're welcome James"
"Um, Remus, can I say one last thing?"
"What is it James?"
"I like Lily Evans."
"I know, James, I know." Remus said smirking.
James was grinning like a madman into his pillow, trying to stop himself from dancing around the castle declaring his like for Lily Evans. I'll save that for another day, as for now, I have the summer to work on asking her out. Then he drifted off to sleep.
