CHAPTER 9
It was the morning of Hogsmeade and Lily woke feeling morning fresh, though she felt a slight pang of guilt because James had detention out of her silly bet. What's wrong with me, she thought, it's only Potter.
She shook herself and looked at her watch it was ten o'clock James detention started at nine. She walked down the stairs to find Ally and Sirius talking. They looked and saw her and Ally dashed for the portrait hole.
Weird, Lily thought. Sirius was walking up to her. He didn't look his usual self. His face was serious and he looked like he meant business.
"Lily, sit down." He commanded pushing her onto the couch. The common room was empty because every one was in Hogsmeade and the first and second years were sleeping.
"What are you doing Sirius?" she asked feeling the need to use first names.
"Why do you think James did that yesterday?" He looked her in the eye.
"Um…so he could take me to Hogsmeade and prank me." She tried. Sirius shook his head.
"No, Listen Lily, he does not want to prank you. Do you think he would kiss McGonagall so he could prank you?"
"Well, Potter has always been determined."
"No, Lily. Ok, so he has always pranked you and teased you, but he has laid off that lately and I think he may like you." Lily laughed, which caused Sirius to glare. "Lily I'm serious, do you not feel a little guilty that he had two detentions because of your bet and now he misses Hogsmeade?"
"Well…" she looked at her feet. "I guess I do."
"Good, so we need to fix that right?"
"Yes." Lily agreed weakly. She actually felt really bad now Sirius brought it up.
"Ok so I'm going to Hogsmeade with Ally. There may be an invisibility cloak and a broom on James' bed upstairs." He winked. "There are no teachers in the classroom James' is in, he is on the 4th floor. There is a window, and there is a teacher guarding the door." He grinned playfully, back to his old self.
"Sirius what do you mean?"
"You're smart you'll figure it out. I hope to see you in the three broomsticks at 7, and hopefully not alone." He winked again strode out the portrait hole.
Lily sat in thought for a few moments before it all clicked. Sirius wanted her to rescue James from detention.
She had to get the broom and fly under the Invisibility cloak up to his window and get him out. Easier said than done.
Lily glanced at the boys stairs and winced. What if they turn to a slide too? Wait, Sirius would have thought of that, he wouldn't send me up there if they did. Unless it's a prank. Oh well, I'll have to try.
She climbed the stairs hesitantly bracing herself for the fall. But it didn't come. She reached the top and did a victory dance. She walked in and saw the broom on the bed. She sat down and felt around for the invisibility cloak.
So this is where Potter sleeps, she thought. Smells like him anyway. NOT THAT I SMELL HIM! It's quite comfortable, I can imagine him sleeping on this bed. Lily, wake up, stop imagining Potter and let's go save him.
She found the cloak and dashed down the stairs. She walked outside and straddled the broom with the invisibility cloak on securely. She looked up.
I don't know how to fly, she though terrified. I hate heights and I'm useless on a broom. Oh well I have to save James. Potter.
She imagined herself flying and she hovered a little. She let her body control the broom and she lifted into the air.
She reached the 4th floor. Oh great, Sirius didn't tell me what window.
She flew past the windows hoping to see James. Then on the 7th window she saw the messy haired boy. He was leaning on a desk sulkily. She tapped on the window. James looked up startled and saw no one so he lay his head back down bored. Lily tapped again then realised he couldn't see her. She bravely pulled off the cloak before tapping once again.
James' head shot up, he was very surprised to see Lily on a broom at his window. He grinned.
Lily came to save me! Lily! My Lily! She came to save me! She's on my broom, even when she's afraid of heights, at the 4th floor window to save me! ME! James Potter! LILY EVANS HAS COME TO SAVE ME, JAMES POTTER!
He grinned goofily before hurrying over to the window and opening it.
"Lily, what are you doing here?" he asked already knowing the answer. COMING TO SAVE ME!
"Well, Potter, I'm here to get you out of detention as it was my fault you got it. Do you realise you called me Lily, I didn't think you knew my first name.
"Hmm, well, now you know I do. Say, aren't you afraid of heights? And I thought you couldn't fly."
"I am afraid of heights, and I can't fly. It took me a lot of effort for me to get up here you, so you better be grateful."
"Aw, you conquered your fears just for me." YES! His head was yelling, YES! YES! YES!
"Don't be an idiot Potter. Get on this broom before someone sees."
"Ok." He hastily climbed out the window and climbed on holding her around her waist.
James was beaming, this feels so nice.
He felt even better when Lily didn't tell him to move his arms.
Lily was also smiling, but she wouldn't let him see that. His arms feel so warm, they make me feel so safe and protected. I wish we could stay like this forever. OR NOT! THIS IS POTTER! She started blushing.
They hit the ground with a thump.
"Here." Lily said handing James his invisibility cloak. He grudgingly withdrew his arms from around her.
"How did you get this?" he asked.
"Same way I got your broom. Sirius gave them to me."
"Why were you with Sirius?" He asked feeling the jealousy inside him raging.
"Well, he gave me the idea to come and get you because I felt guilty."
James felt his heart leap. She felt guilty! OVER ME!
"You followed Sirius' plan, to save me? Boy, I must mean a lot to you." He grinned cockily.
"No!" Lily blushed. Am I blushing? WHY AM I BLUSHING?
Is she blushing? Why is she blushing? James thought excitedly.
"We…uh…better go." Lily hesitated.
"Go where?" James asked.
"Hogsmeade of course, you won the bet fair and square."
"You realise you'll probably get detention for freeing me don't you?"
"Yeah." Lily shrugged.
"Great, let's go!" She's willing to get detention to save me! This must be the best day of my life!
SCENE CHANGE
Their day went great, even Lily couldn't deny it. Firstly James had dragged her to Zonkos. He said he wanted to buy some pranks to use at home but Lily knew it was for the Slytherins and probably her. She had had fun in Zonkos surprisingly. She had never been there before, and James had shown her heaps of the pranks. She had even brought some, in case she ever saw Petunia again.
Then the two had gone to Honeydukes next. They had sampled all the new shipments and Lily had dared James to eat a few cockroach clusters. They had gotten into a candy fight and the owner kicked them out.
James was beaming and Lily couldn't force down her grin.
"Oh look its 7 o'clock, we should go meet Sirius and Ally in the Three Broomsticks."
"Sure." James agreed.
The walked into the broomsticks and picked a table around the back waiting for Sirius.
James ordered them a few Butterbeers and they sat down and talked quietly.
"Lily, are you having fun?"
"Surprisingly, yes I am." She grinned. James' felt his heart flutter.
"I wonder what's keeping Sirius." James asked worriedly laying his hand beside his glass. It wasn't like Sirius to be late, no matter how irresponsible he was. Sirius had learnt never to be late living with his family, the consequences could be brutal.
"I'm sure it's nothing James." Lily said placing her hand on top of his.
James thought he was going to burst with joy. He thought his face was going to break because his grin was so big.
Lily was touching his hand, WILLINGLY! She had called him James.
"You-You called me James."
"Oh." Lily said. "I did too." She hadn't even realised she had done it.
"Well Hello." Sirius greeted them with a red faced Ally.
"Sirius!" Lily jumped. "We were wondering where you were. What took you took so long?"
"Well…" Ally said blushing. "I, ah, I mean we-we lost track of time."
James and Lily raised their eyebrows.
"Well, we better go." Lily said. "We have heaps planned." She grabbed James' hand and pulled him away.
"WHAT? Why did you do that?"
"Well, they obviously wanted to be alone, Potter." James felt his heart sink, she had called him Potter.
"Hey, look it's a fortune teller." Lily said excited. "Let's go, I want to see if they're all as crazy as Français."
"Aww, do we have to?" He whined.
"Yes!"
They entered the small shop which was extremely hot and filled with strong smells of lavender.
"Geez is it a rule that all crackpots who see the future have to smell weird and have hot rooms?" James commented.
Lily giggled as she thought of the room Français taught. It was almost exactly like this one.
"Ah, young lady, it is wonderful to see two people in love such as you two." A mysterious lady said.
"Us?" Lily questioned, her eyes wide motioning to James and herself.
"Of course dear, nothing shines like a woman in love." If possible Lily's eyes grew wider.
"Oh No No No No NO," she shook her head profusely. "We aren't…I'm not…NO NO NO!"
James grinned as he watched Lily try to talk her way out of it.
"No No No, a million times NO!" She turned to James, and he noticed she was bright red, which caused his grin to widen. "We're not in love are we? Tell her!"
"We're not? That's not what you said before!" He cried pretending to be hurt. "Of course we are in love, honey."
He wrapped his arms around her waist and she shook him off. Lily sent him a death glare, which caused him to beam.
"I'm sorry Lady but we aren't in love, you have us mistaken."
"Ah, I see the young Lady is still in denial, don't worry young Miss you will realise your true feelings soon enough." She said mystically, causing James to Snort, and Lily turned to look at him again.
"No, I do not nor will I ever-" Lily turned around to talk some sense into the crazy lady but she was gone.
"ARGH!" She screamed. "Thanks for that Potter!"
"You're Welcome, love." He smirked and she stomped off outside leaving him behind.
SCENE CHANGE
"Lily...LILY…LILEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE." James called.
He was back in Hogwarts looking for Lily again. He had followed her back from afar but she had turned a corner and vanished.
"BOO!" She shouted, jumping out from behind a statue. "AH HA HA! I scared you."
James watched her. She had flushed cheeks, and was grinning mischievously, her hair was a little messy, yet she looked like an angel.
"No you didn't." James said.
"Yes I did, so there." She said poking her tongue at him. James smiled.
"Ok maybe a little."
"AH HA! I scared the great James Potter! If only his fans could see him now." They laughed.
"Anyway, I think I should go, you know, it's getting late." She smiled. "Thank you so much for a great day."
She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. Then she waved awkwardly and skipped down the hallway.
James stood there in amazement.
Lily Evans kissed me on the cheek. I'm never washing it again. Ok maybe I will, but I will wash it tenderly.
He fingered the spot she had kissed. Lily Evans you never cease to amaze me and I love that.
Then he slowly walked to the common room, upstairs and lay straight down to sleep still in his robes, with an insane grin on his face.
SCENE CHANGE
OH MY GOD, Lily thought shocked, I can't believe I just did that! Why did I do that? WHY? WHY?
I don't even like James. I mean Potter. I don't even like POTTER. I HATE HIM. Now it's going to be weird. At least we go home tomorrow, then when we come back we'll be in our last year. Everything can go back to the way it was.
And with that in mind she walked over to her bed.
Well, I can't say I didn't have fun today though.
SCENE CHANGE
James woke the next morning feeling absolutely great. He was bouncing as he packed his trunk and walked down his stairs. He was so busy daydreaming he didn't notice Remus and Sirius call him. Sirius pushed him into the wall.
"Oi, what was that for?"
"Sorry mate you were busy daydreaming I needed to ask you something?"
"What?"
"How did it go yesterday?"
"Great." James sighed.
"Hey," Remus looked around. "Where's Peter?"
"Oops." Sirius said with wide eyes.
"Sirius it's been six weeks! I said no longer than two weeks! He could be dead!"
"So." Sirius muttered. He didn't like Peter much. He was annoying and tagged along. He also gave off this creepy sense that he was up to something. They had to be friends with Peter though. Peter had overheard them talking and discovered Remus was a werewolf. James seemed to like him so the only way they saw to keep it a secret was to befriend the little bludger. Sirius reluctantly agreed to let Peter be a marauder- though his idea was to tie him up in the forbidden forest and feed him once a week. He kept his opinion about him to himself because Marauders stick together and do not hate other marauders. It was the Marauders code.
"Well…are you going to get him out?"
"Yeah, yeah, it's not like I didn't give him food. I gave him almost 3 boxes of chocolate frogs, a bowl of soup and turkey sandwich."
"Sirius!"
SCENE CHANGE
The FOUR of them walked into a compartment, only to find Lily and Ally there.
"Morning Lily." James said cheerfully.
"Potter." She greeted him icily. "Please refrain from using my first name, that is only for friends."
"What? But what about yesterday?" He felt his heart tug.
"Yesterday was a different day I'd rather forget."
"But I thought you had fun!" He said, he felt like he was going to cry it hurt so much.
"Wrong again!" She said standing up and brushing past him.
James stared after her. Sirius glared. They had been having such a good time. Sirius could tell James really liked her and she had led him on yesterday. That in itself made Sirius angry. No one hurt his best friend and got away with it.
James felt sick, he walked out a few moments later and walked into the bathroom. Lily, had been having fun yesterday, what happened? Did he say something? Do something? What happened between now and then? All he knew was that he liked Lily A LOT and it made him want to cry out that she hated him. He wanted to die. He was so confused. He looked at his reflection. Look at yourself Potter, she was always calling you arrogant and stuck up. No wonder she hates you. It's a wonder anyone likes you at all. PATHETIC, The voice in his head spat.
"SHUT UP!" James roared before punching the mirror and slumping down beside the sink.
SCENE CHANGE
Lily felt horrible. What she had done to James made her feel awful but it was necessary. She was scared. She remembered what Français had said to her. 'Beware' 'Soon you will unite with the dark haired boy'
'Known him all along yet despised him' 'true feelings' 'only in death can the two save us all' 'The time is soon'. The words cut into her like a knife. She was scared. Lily Evans was scared. If he got too close she would die, she didn't want that, she he won't get too close.
