Title: Light
Author: Amelia Bedelia
Chapter Six: An Eventful Day
AUTHORS NOTE: I'm back again!!! Ok, chapter six, not much to say - EXCEPT that I decided that I'm not going to wait for reviews anymore. Usually half the time I'm waiting for just one more review so I won't even mess with the number anymore! But that doesn't mean that I don't WANT reviews!!! That's a completely different topic!!!
One warning, however, this chapter and the next are pretty long! (Especially with my stupid little ramblings before and after them!!!) I'll just let you read now…
Ok, story time! Gather round children! :)
Chapter Six: An Eventful Day
"Morning, sweetie."
"Hey," Will mumbled. "I'm gonna go downstairs. You just stay put." Will stood up and walked towards the door. There he turned and blew a kiss to Christine who caught it in mid-air. He smiled and shut the door behind him.
He went in to check on Petunia. Opening the door a crack, he saw her sleeping peacefully. Slowly he closed the door and turned to Lily's door. Like before he opened the door a crack and peeked in.
Aw, poor thing, he thought as he saw a small heap on the floor. Opening the door a bit further, he tiptoed inside and kneeled next to his daughter. He saw her blankets wrapped around her tightly while a small lock of crimson hair stuck out from the top.
Chuckling softly to himself, Will stood up, but he immediately wished he hadn't. There in Lily's bed was another body. Of course, it wasn't Lily's for hers was on the ground next to his feet. Beginning to panic Will searched the room for a heavy object. He found the lamp that he and Christine had bought for Lily when she was a small baby. Quietly unplugging it from the socket he held it over his head and crept closer to Lily's bed. Then, unexpectedly, the person in the bed opened their eyes and yelled.
Everything happened like a flash of lightning. Will heard Christine in the next room over hop out of bed and Petunia across the hall fall off of hers. Lily, still on the ground behind his feet, sat up with such force that her head had hit the back of her dad's leg causing him to fall backwards onto the floor.
And what a sight this was.
The door to Lily's room banged open and in comes a frightened Christine and annoyed Petunia. Lily seemed to be massaging her head while James just sat up in bed looking as if he was a small puppy dog caught sneaking into something he wasn't supposed to. Petunia walked out from behind her mother and felt her jaw drop.
"What are you doing here?!?" she asked, horrified.
"I - uh - er - " James frantically looked between Petunia, Lily, and Christine. He didn't even dare to look at Will yet. Finally, James just decided it better to look at himself and not at any other living thing in the room.
"Don't panic, dad." Lily soothed, knowing the exact way on how to get around trouble. "Mum insisted that he stay overnight in my room."
"What?!?" Will had stood up off of the ground.
"Oh, sweetie, James just stopped by to pick something up!"
"Yes, to pick up my daughter!" Will yelled. Then, much more quietly, turned to Christine. "And you were crazy enough to let them sleep in the same room?!?"
"What?" Christine answered innocently. "They're smart kids," she whispered finally. She, thankfully, didn't notice that the two kids had switched spots. That would have lead to several questions, no doubt.
"Dad, relax!"
"Lily!" Will shouted. "How dare you tell me to relax in this situation! I can assure you that you will be grounded until you go back to your school wherever the hell it is!"
Every family member's jaw nearly fell to the floor. None of them had ever heard Will Evans swear before. Even if it was a small word it was a big deal for them all.
"Dad," Petunia started with an impressed look on her face. "I'm speechless…"
"Don't you start with me," he hissed dangerously.
"William, what has gotten into you?" Christine asked, sensitively.
Will spun to look at Christine no more than six inches away from him. He began pointing around the room at Lily then at James and finally his face began to crumble. He started to sob uncontrollably.
"Now, now, dear, we forgive you. You're a father. It's your natural instinct," Christine soothed. She wrapped her arms around him and over his shoulder made faces to show that the kids should leave them alone for a bit.
They nodded and left through the door quietly without Lily's father noticing.
Creeping down the steps the teenagers moved into the living room. Surprised at what met Lily's eyes, she stopped in the middle of the floor. Both James and Petunia, behind her, toppled into her and the three fell to the floor underneath the neatly decorated Christmas tree. Flustered, Lily looked up and sighed. "It's Christmas, isn't it?"
"Yeah it is, brilliant one!" Petunia yelled at her sister and stomped away to the kitchen. Lily rolled her eyes and stood up.
How could I have forgotten today was Christmas?
I don't know! Maybe it's because stupid POTTER had to come and ruin your Winter break!!!
Both Lily and James began to examine the presents surrounding the tree. Lily pulled out the presents and sorted them like she did every Christmas morning. Her father had five, her mother had six, Petunia had six, Lily had eight, and Potter had -
Twelve?!?
"Why on earth do you have twelve presents?!?" Lily asked. Well, more like yelled in a questioning way - but that's not the point!
James got a nasty grin on his face and lowered his voice so no one close by could hear. "Guess the ladies just like my good looks. But I still get presents from friends, 'course. I got one from Remus, Sirius, Peter, Sirius' mum, his dad, Hagrid - "
"You know Hagrid?" Lily asked, spinning around from her place at the tree to face James.
"Er - yeah? You have a problem with that?"
"Honestly, yes! I do! He's my friend - not yours." Lily replied.
"Actually, Lillian dearest, I really hate to break it to you but he is my friend!" James hissed back, merely inches from her face.
"Well, Potter," Lily replied, looking over her presents. "Aha! Remus sent me a present!"
"Um… So what."
"Hmph." Lily turned around and stomped away into the kitchen. James then collapsed into the sofa behind him and made a mental note to yell at Remus the second he got back. Well, not the second he got back 'cause that might be just a tad suspicious.
"Good morning, James!" Will greeted them all as if nothing had even happened. "Merry Christmas!"
"Um, Merry Christmas, sir," James replied, partially scared.
Will gave a hearty laugh. "No need to call me sir! Call me Will!"
"Right." James began to squirm nervously in his chair and, for once in his life, hoped that Lily would soon come back in.
The door opened - and in walked Petunia. Damn, James cursed to himself.
She was carrying bottled water and had some buttered toast on the plate. She sat down next to her presents and began to eat.
James felt himself begin to drool.
"Petunia," Christine mumbled, "would you like to offer our guest any breakfast?"
Petunia took a quick look at James and turned back to her mother. "No."
"Petunia," she warned.
"No, it's fine. I'm not hungry anyway," James cut in.
"See," Petunia mumbled and continued to stuff food into her mouth.
"Now, James," Will reasoned, "you must be hungry! All growing boys are, after all! I was!"
"How about I just go on in with, uh, Lily and get something myself then." James hopped off of his spot on the couch and nearly ran into the kitchen.
"Poor thing," Christine muttered with a smile on her face. "He must love Lily a lot."
Will laughed along with her; however Petunia just sulked, saying nothing.
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James left the sound of laughter behind him and joined Lily in the kitchen. She looked up and saw James as the door closed behind James with a snap. Slowly, hardly turning her back to James, Lily backed up and pulled out a steak knife.
James panicked. "Whoa! Lily! If you don't want me in here I can just leave if you want," he soothed, backing towards the door he had closed.
Lily let out a few chuckles and turned back to her apple on a cutting board. James sighed in relief.
"So," Lily said.
"So," James mumbled, heading towards the refrigerator.
"When are you leaving?"
"When I'm finished opening presents," James replied.
Lily looked up at James, hands on her waist. "With you that could take forever! After all you have twelve! I've never had more than ten in my whole life at one point!" James eyed her hands that had picked up the knife and were rapidly cutting the apple bit by bit.
"You might not want to cut so fast," James said. "You could chop off your fingers - not that I would care."
Lily averted all of her attention to James, knife still in hand. "You know, Potter, I am getting sick and tired of you thinking you can do whatever you want! You just come traipsing into my house thinking you own it and stay overnight!!!"
"Hey! I didn't want to stay overnight!" James yelled back.
"But you came here which caused you to stay overnight!!!" Lily held the knife at a point and walked toward James, poking him in the chest with it.
"Lily! What are you doing?!? Are you crazy?!?" James had backed into the counter and was facing death in the face - unless he could talk her out of it.
Lily looked James dead on in the face. Her green ones blaring into his soft blue ones. Lily remembered the last time this had happened - only the other way around. Lily's chest began to rise and fall quicker than before. She dropped the knife to the floor just barely inches from her own toes. She spun on her heel and walked towards the back door out to their garden.
James' mind was in a blur and could hardly concentrate. So, his brain still not awake, James ran out into the snow barefoot barely noticing at all.
"Lily!" he called. "Lily! Get inside! It's freezing out!!!"
"What do you care?!?" she called back, running towards their swingset with nothing but a tank top and breezy pants on. No shoes. No socks. No coat. She would freeze to death if she stayed out here like this. Well, so would he. James ran to bring her in and, to his surprise, she ran away.
"Lily, you're going to get sick!" he called over the howling wind.
"Why do you care, Potter?!? Just leave me alone!"
James felt like he was going to slap her if he had the chance. What a self-centered brat! Thinks she can tell me what to do! I think not…
James, bravely, walked up behind Lily and grabbed her around the middle. Surprised, Lily didn't act at first but soon regained her senses and began to kick and scream for him to put her down.
"Let go of me, Potter!" she hollered. James didn't reply.
He finally made it through the door inside. He pushed her down into the kitchen chair and sat across from her.
"You're going to listen to me, Lily." He spoke calmly.
Lily didn't look. She knew what she would see once she looked. The same thing she saw the night she made a comment about his parents. Fierce, angry, blue eyes.
"I'm not sure why you just tried to practically commit suicide but - "
"I didn't try to commit suicide," she argued back, quietly.
"Lily, I didn't ask for a response yet. I told you to listen." Lily stayed quiet. For once in your life, he thought.
"Now we are going to walk back into that room like civilized adults. You will not have anymore of your panic attacks or whatever that was you just did. After all, you don't want Petunia to think we hate each other - even though we do." After a few minutes, Lily nodded her head and stood up.
"Hold it, Lily." James stooped down to the floor where Lily was about to step and picked up the steak knife.
"Thanks," she muttered. Taking the knife, Lily placed it in the sink to be washed and took out another one to finish cutting her uncut apple.
"Uh oh…"
"What is it?"
"I'm having that feeling again."
"What feeling?" Lily asked, dreading the answer.
"You know. Remember when I was last here? And then Voldemort came…"
Lily didn't reply, just continued to cut her apple.
Lily finished cutting the apple after near misses of her fingers. "C'mon," she muttered, heading towards the family room.
"Took ya long enough," Petunia muttered. "We've been waiting for you to get back so we could open presents." Lily gave her sister a nasty smile and sat on the ground with James next to her.
"So," Lily said, turning to face towards her parents. "Can we open our presents now?"
"Dig on in," Christine said.
Lily and James turned hungrily to their presents. Lily opening a little slower than James. After all, he has twelve to open! Lily thought, miserably.
Lily had just barely gotten through her fifth present when James said, "I'm done! Lily, would you like to go to Diagon Alley with me?"
"You're finished?" Lily hissed.
"Yeah," he whispered back. "Is that so hard to believe?"
"Well, once you think about it being you it's not that hard to believe actually!"
"So, anyway, would you like to go down to Diagon Alley with me, honey?" James asked, putting his good ol' charm on.
"Now?" she asked.
"Well, after we get dressed, of course," James replied.
"But why?"
"You know," James said, lowering his voice, pretending her parents couldn't hear them when they really could. "So we can get away from everything. Maybe grab an ice cream."
Lily gave a flirtatious laugh. She was almost making herself sick. She hated flirting with any boy but the one time that she was forced to flirt with one, he just had to be the one she hated most, didn't he? "Let me finish opening my presents first ok?"
"Ok," James whispered. He laced his fingers through hers and sat, waiting for her to finish opening her presents.
"So," Christine said, "what did you get each other?"
"Er - " Lily and James looked at each other nervously. Lily began to speak. "I, uh, got James a - "
"Now, now, Lily, you said we should give our presents later! I don't want you to spoil it for me!" James said.
"Yep, you're right! I'll tell you guys later, ok Mum? Dad?"
"Oh that's perfectly fine, Lily," Will said.
"Great!" James said.
After Lily and James were dressed, they said their good-byes and grabbed a little floo-powder.
"Hope you have fun at Dirt Alley," Petunia called, before they left.
"Now, Petunia, it's called Diagon Alley!" James heard Christine say before he was swallowed up by the fireplace and hurled through the fire. After a sickening three seconds, James fell out of the Leaky Cauldron fireplace landing on his stomach.
"Never did get the hang of that," he muttered as he hoisted himself off the ground and watched as Lily fell in the spot that he had been in no more than two seconds ago.
"So, Potter, why did you bring me here?" Lily asked grumpily.
"Guess that fire ride didn't improve your mood much…"
"Well it wasn't so much the ride as it was the ending. After all, many rides at amusement parks always have those - how do I say it - abrupt stops." Lily replied smoothly. "Now, why are we here?" Lily repeated, tapping the brick wall to get into Diagon Alley.
"I didn't want to hang around your sister, that's all."
"Right… Now, why are we really here? I mean, you could've just left straight from home to Hogwarts on your broom!"
"I did say I wanted ice cream, didn't I?"
"And that's why you seriously came here? For some reason I'm not buying into that story…" Lily said as she put a gloved finger to her cheek as if she were thinking hard about something.
James shook his head and walked down the snowy street. "Why is it so hard to believe?" James asked.
"For example: why would you have brought me along so you could get ice cream?"
"Why are you answering all of my questions with questions?"
"No, Potter, why are you answering all of my questions with questions?
"Can't you just answer my question Evans?"
"What question was that Potter?"
"Lily!"
"No, seriously this time, what was the first question you asked?"
"I asked why you don't believe me! And I want a real answer this time!"
"Besides the most obvious fact that your name is James Potter?"
"Yes, Lily." James was beginning to become extremely annoyed. Why did she always have to drag out one simple question?
James and Lily entered Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor and ordered an ice cream each. Lily sat across from James and continued to argue.
"Well, the next reason for why I don't believe you is probably that before we left you had a "feeling" and you haven't said anything about it since. Maybe you're like a seer or something. What if you could see the future? How strange would that be?" Lily continued to mumble to herself.
"Actually…"
Lily's ears perked up. "Actually what?" she asked curiously. Then her eyes began to glow like she knew something he didn't. "I'm right, aren't I? You are a seer! I knew it!"
"No! Evans! Shut up and listen to me!!!"
Lily, startled, sat back in her chair and spoke not a word.
"I've really never told anyone this but you - uh - need to know."
Lily didn't move.
"Alright," James said, taking that sign as an "ok," from Lily.
He cleared his throat. How could he tell her what was going on? Boy would this be hard…
"Well, you know when Voldemort came to your house and he - er - tried to kill us all?"
"Of course! How could I forget?" Lily nearly shouted.
"Shh!" James hissed. "Ok," James lowered his voice, "you need to know that Voldemort is after - " James swallowed. "He's after Gryffindors."
"Huh?" Lily felt like she had been hanging onto a thread and then dropped straight to the ground. "Voldemort's after Gryffindors?"
"Er - yeah."
"Potter, do you have any idea how obvious that sounds? I mean, why would Voldemort decide he wants to go after Slytherin - his own house!!!"
James knew how stupid and non-believable his story sounded - but it was his only choice! At least it was better than telling her the real truth…
Florean Fortescue had brought over their ice creams. With a hurried thank you, James, hoping to avoid any more discussion with Lily, picked up his ice cream and walked outside. He began to walk across the street but was barely halfway there when that darn redhead followed him out of the ice cream parlor door.
James tried not to notice her and keep walking but she still followed him, though not running to catch up. Lily seemed to want space from James. After James reached the Leaky Cauldron, he sat at the bar and finished his ice cream. He looked at the door waiting for Lily to walk through and, sure enough, she did.
They sat together at the bar and ate in silence. After James finished, he left his dish to be thrown away by the bartender
"C'mon, Lily, let's go! I need to get my Shooting Star and get back to school!"
Lily glared at James and stood up, taking one last bite of ice cream. Out of her pocket, Lily pulled a bag of Floo Powder and gave a handful to James and herself. Lily threw in the powder first and then hopped in yelling her destination. She tumbled out of their fire and managed to catch herself on a chair while James fell face first onto their floor after her.
Lily didn't try very hard to cover up her giggles. Ignoring James' attempts at glares, Lily walked into the next room where her father was laying, sprawled out on their couch. Shaking her head, Lily gently pushed his shoulder saying, "Wake up Daddy." James walked into the room and Lily ran out into their main hall, grabbing both brooms James had - and made sure she had both.
Lily returned. She handed James his broom and saw her Dad still sleeping on the couch. "C'mon Dad, James going to leave now!"
He didn't move.
Lily began to panic. "Dad?" She shook his shoulder again. And again. And again.
James now got involved in the picture. He bent down and picked up Will's wrist and began searching for a pulse like his parents had taught him to do once.
No pulse.
Slowly, James put Will's wrist down on the ground. Lily looked at James shocked with tears in her eyes. Not believing James' actions, Lily, herself, picked up her fathers' wrist and felt for a pulse with the same result. She hastily moved her hand to his throat and looked for another pulse. None.
"No…" she whispered. "He's not dead. He's still alive! I know it!!!" Lily was beginning to turn hysterical. James, doing the only fatherly thing he knew, took Lily in his arms and let her cry everything out on his shoulders.
"It's ok, Lily, you can get through this. We'll fix it and make everything all better." James repeated himself many times, comforting Lily and him, as well.
"No," she would moan. "It won't be fixed!" she would try to say but sobs slurred her words and she clutched onto James even harder, looking for comfort. Suddenly, Lily lifted her head off of James' shoulders and, with slight hope, whispered, "Mum."
James nodded and both left through the house in search of Lily's mother; James with dread in his stomach and Lily's with slight hope.
"Mum," Lily called quietly through the hallway. "Where are you?"
James felt so confused. He didn't know what was going on - yet, in a way, he did. The pain in his stomach increased and he felt like he would never again have a stomach. James searched his mind for what happened when his parents had died from the attack from Voldemort.
Voldemort attacks quietly. Nothing was broken and next door neighbors know nothing about it. He leaves the bodies. Touches nothing. James kept searching his brain for what he saw the night of his parents' deaths. Anything strange at all…
James stopped following Lily and ran out their door. "James!" he heard Lily call behind him. "No! Don't leave me!" James didn't listen. He threw open their front door and ran out to the bottom of their driveway. Once there, James turned and looked above their house. James felt his legs weaken and collapse under himself. He made no movement of standing up again, however. He put his hands to face and moaned into them, praying for any help at all. Why me…
He heard the front door open and slam shut once again and saw Lily run out. She looked panicky and far better than James did. Why was she having to comfort him?
James got to his feet before Lily reached him. He looked at Lily with her eyes bloodshot from crying earlier and her hair in a tangle from going through the Floo connection. James could see tears held back in her eyes, Lily not letting them fall. She had always stayed strong at the worst times.
Lily tried to calm herself taking deep breaths but to no avail.
"I found Mum," she whispered. "She's in the laundry room."
"Is she…"
"Yes," Lily said quickly, not wanting to hear the word. James had already known she was. James knew it was better sooner than later to show Lily what he had found.
"Lily, I'm really sorry, you know that?" James said, stepping up to the plate. He needed to gain Lily's trust first before he told her.
Lily nodded her head and one of the tears rolled down her cheek.
"I, uh, need to show you something. Lily, look up there." James pointed above their house and there were two dark skulls with a serpent protruding from its mouth. Lily, being separated from the magical world, had never seen this shape before. She, however, could take an easy guess at what it meant.
Lily couldn't handle anything else anymore. She turned to their lawn and threw up her ice cream and breakfast. James, awkwardly, patted her back until she stood back up. By the time that she did, a car had pulled into their driveway and Petunia got out.
"See ya tomorrow, Vernon!" she called as she closed the car door. He pulled out of the driveway and sped off down the street. Petunia began to swing her handbag gaily and then saw both Lily and James near the sidewalk. "What are you doing here? When are you going to leave?!?"
"Petunia!" Lily yelled with tears leaking out of her eyes with full strength. Petunia was taken aback by this action and began walking towards their front door. "Don't go in there!" Lily called.
"Why?" Petunia asked with a smirk. "What did you two do?"
James felt like he shouldn't leave Lily but he did and marched right over to Petunia and got in her face.
"You have no idea what just happened to her - to you - and you go and start making fun of her! How dare you," he hissed.
"What happened?" Petunia asked, backing into the door. "What's going on?"
James' face suddenly softened. "You - no - Lily. Lily has to tell you what happened. It's not my place," James mumbled.
Petunia ran over to Lily. "What happened," she demanded. Not asked, demanded.
Lily nodded towards James to answer but he didn't. "Lily, this is your sister and family." James felt guilty all the while, though, and felt like he should give Lily a break. After all, James had been telling himself a lot lately, it is my fault.
Lily almost looked shocked but regained her composure and pointed towards the sky. Petunia looked. "What?" she asked, looking at Lily as if she were crazy.
Lily was astounded. "Can't you see it?"
Petunia made a choked sort-of laughing noise. "See what?"
Lily looked at James for help who stepped forward. "I guess muggles can't see it," he whispered into Lily's ear. She nodded and spit it out.
"They're dead. I came home from Diagon Alley and they were dead." Two large tears fell onto the pavement and Petunia turned stark white.
"Who's dead?"
Lily began to shiver in the cold and pulled her coat around her closer, seeking comfort. "Mum," she whispered. "And Dad."
Petunia shook her head, not believing Lily. She even turned to James hoping beyond hope that she was lying, but James just closed his eyes and turned away. Petunia, like Lily, cried. She began to run down the street in the direction of Vernon Dursley's house.
Lily, in turn, ran into their house, shielding her eyes from the most obvious. James followed and saw that she was picking up the Shooting Star and Sirius' old Cleansweep. She tossed the Shooting Star to James and took the Cleansweep for herself. "Which way to Hogwarts?" she asked. James could have sworn that if she went out in public she would look absolutely fine, but considering she just found out her parents died, James thought Lily had her feelings bundled up inside of her. Without any objections or complaints, James helped Lily. He didn't want her to get angry at him or have her give up without any hope left.
Stepping outside, both Lily and James fastened their cloaks and mounted their brooms. James flew the familiar path to Platform nine and three-quarters. Lily didn't say anything.
"Foraminis," he whispered, just like before. Both Lily and James stepped through the wall and sat astride their brooms again. They flew, following the train tracks to Hogwarts.
Neither of the teenagers spoke to each other throughout their whole flight to Hogwarts. They both seemed to be scared to find out what the other would say if they did talk. Only every now and then did one of them say, "The train tracks are turning left," or "watch out for the tree."
They landed on the front steps of Hogwarts and opened the doors cautiously. By this time it was nearly two o'clock and many students would be in their common rooms moaning about how much food they had at the feast or that they could've sworn they had gained twenty pounds. Lily and James hadn't had anything to eat since the ice cream. Both weren't hungry, though. Lily didn't even have her previous breakfast or ice cream left, and she still didn't seem hungry.
Both Lily and James flew through the halls with teachers yelling behind their backs, but like before, James and Lily didn't care.
They reached Dumbledore's office and waited. They both had a gut instinct that they should just wait for him.
Soon after James and Lily sat down across from the Gargoyle, still not talking, Dumbledore walked down the hallway and spotted them. They hadn't spoken a word yet, in a way, Dumbledore had somehow read their minds and ushered them inside his office.
They walked past the gargoyle and up the winding staircase to reach a wooden door. Professor Dumbledore opened it with a turn and entered. "Sit down," he said and motioned towards the seats across from his desk. "What happened?"
Lily didn't speak. She didn't move. James thought that she must have stunned herself into silence. James spoke this time.
"Just like me, Professor. Her parents died." James heard Lily began to cry. He felt his shoulders relax. At least she still used her vocal chords.
"Same way?" Dumbledore asked cautiously.
"Same way."
"I see…" Dumbledore stood and walked around his desk. "You two stay here. I'll contact the ministry and have them pick up your belongings and bring them here. Do you have any relatives you could live with?"
Lily nodded. "Aunt Rose. Has no children. Visits us all the time."
Dumbledore nodded slightly and left leaving James and Lily behind.
Ten minutes passed without a word. James was becoming restless. He needed to go - just go. Lily hadn't moved since she first came in and it was beginning to bother James.
He stood and began to look at the items in the room. He passed objects of all colors, shapes, and sizes.
"Don't touch those."
James turned, shocked. Lily had just spoke to him. "Don't touch what?" James needed to bring the old Lily back or he, along with every single other Gryffindor, would be miserable. He decided his best way was through their old relationship; arguing.
"Don't touch anything," she said dangerously.
"Oh yeah?" James said, picking up an ancient book and narrowed his eyes at Lily. "Make me."
Lily stood and began to search through her robes for her wand. "Damn it," she whispered. "Where the hell is my wand?"
Whoops. Lily had left her wand at her house. She had also realized that and tears began to form in her eyes thinking of what else was left at her house. Lily sat down again in the small armchair and continued to cry.
Dumbledore walked in through the door and saved James from having to comfort Lily in any way. "You both may leave if you would like now. Miss Evans, would you prefer going to the hospital wing to get freshened up?"
She nodded and followed Professor Dumbledore out of the door. James followed as well, only a bit slower.
Holding both of the broomsticks, James took them up to Gryffindor tower. He passed many people sitting in armchairs or on couches but didn't stop to talk. He sped straight upstairs into his dormitory and shut the door behind him. He sighed and leaned against the door.
"Where have you been Prongs?"
James, shocked by the voice, backed into the door behind him, if possible, even further. "R - remus?"
"Bingo!" he said and crept out from his curtains covering his bed. "You woke me up. I needed a little sleep considering that the full moon is in two days."
"Oh." Remus always would have less sleep around the days that he would transform into a werewolf.
"So, where were you last night?" he asked again with his wolfish grin.
"Long story," he mumbled, turning away to search for one of the issues of Triple M he gave to his friends.
"Well." Remus looked around at the empty room making a point that no one was around. "Sirius and Peter are raiding the kitchens. Keep in mind with it being them, ya know, they may not be back 'til - " Remus made a big show of looking at his calendar next to his bed. "Hmm, probably a day or two. So, I have some free time on my hands."
James chuckled at Remus' joke and pulled out Sirius' magazine. He lay down on his bed. He flipped a few pages in the uncomfortable silence. Remus sat still on his bed without making a sound. This was one of the reasons why girls loved Remus. In a way, being a werewolf had helped Remus a bit with girls.
After nearly fifteen minutes, James threw down his magazine and looked at Remus, irritated. "Ok, you gotta swear you won't tell anyone. Not even Sirius or Peter."
"Wow," Remus muttered. "Must be something big not to tell Sirius."
"It is," James whispered. "Trust me."
"So, tell me this first. Is it a girl?"
"Yes - no - Well, sorta."
"Prongs, what on earth are you talking about? It's not like half-girl half-man, is it?" Remus asked, puzzled.
"Ok, Remus, if you want to know what it is then please shut your yap!" Remus tried hard not to laugh while hearing James talk like this but was unsuccessful. James glared at him.
"Fine, I won't tell you then."
"No, James," Remus said, holding his stomach, "just say everything without me talking. Go ahead. Spit it on out. I'll listen"
"Ok then. Well, it all started when Lily stole me Shooting Star - "
"Oh, God, you didn't fall in love with Lily, did you?"
"No!" James said quickly, shaking his head.
"Well, then, why did you call her by her first name?"
"You did that too!" James rounded.
"Yes, well, I call everyone except the Professors by their first name!"
James made a face at Remus. "Just stop talking!
Remus gave James one of his relaxed smiles and sat for nearly an hour, listening to James retell his story - detail by detail. The only part he left out was when he predicted what would happen and, of course, his thoughts.
After James finished telling Remus about him going to Dumbledore's office just now, they heard footsteps coming up the stairs. James looked frantically at Remus.
"Don't tell anyone," he hissed under his breath as Sirius and Peter came storming into the room with their arms overflowed with food.
"Hey Moony, check it out! They even had some of the cookies that my Grandma would make! They even taste exactly the same!" Peter said, dumping his food onto his bed.
"That's great, Peter," Remus said, joining him on his bed.
"So, Prongs," Sirius said, "who's the lucky girl?"
"What are you talking about, Sirius?"
"Come on, Jamsie! Last night? Where were you?" Sirius asked, raising his eyebrows at James. Remus looked over at James with that knowing look that he always had in his eyes. After all, he did know.
"Well, last night I was playing Quidditch and lost track of time so I came in late and this morning I wanted to surprise Elizabeth. Ya know, my girlfriend in Hufflepuff? I guess, in a way, she was the lucky girl!" James said, trying to shift the topic a bit. He playfully nudged Sirius on the arm, but he didn't move.
"Ooh! You got some Chocolate Frogs! I love those! Man, Dumbledore's a pretty popular wizard card, isn't he?" James said. He pushed his Triple M magazine to the floor hoping that Sirius would grab for it and ignore James for awhile.
No such luck. Sirius just smiled a weak smile and stood up. "I'm gonna go walk around by myself for awhile."
Sirius walked back out through the open door and left behind his puzzled friends.
James looked at Remus and shrugged. He then went back to reading Triple M without any worry.
AUTHORS NOTE: Was that a little long or
what???
REVIEW SECTION:
TriGemini: Thanks! And thanks for reviewing!!!
Plush Appeal: Yay!!! I hope that you don't stop loving it!!! Thanks for reviewing!!!
Buggy-Such: I love it when they're in denial!!! That's the best part of stories to write!!! And I'll try to update my other story as soon as I can. I think I have a little more than half of the next chapter done already when I just sat down and started to type for a few hours. And thanks for reviewing!!!
Gryffindor Girl: Thanks! And thank you for reviewing!!!
Fairy Dust Jamie Lynn: Wow, long name!!! And thanks for reviewing!!!
Shree: Thanks! I love writing James' personality – so much to pick and choose from!!! I like making characters sound strange. Thanks for reviewing!!!
::coughsnowlilycough:: I like your name!!! I think I'm gonna call you this from now on!!! And thank you for your other comment!!! I'm talented!!! And I'm really sorry about the whole "James raised her eyebrow" thing. That makes it sound really strange from a different point of view. Should I fix it? Your choice! You found it, you're the reviewer! And thanks for reviewing!!!
Hpfan1750: Yes, I had to update!!! Now, YOU have to review again!!! Ha ha ha ha ha!!! Thanks for reviewing!!!
Young Golden Unicorn: I'm stopping making you wait now, though!!! I'm gonna stop on the other story too… maybe… soon… Thanks for reviewing, though!!!
OriginalProxy: I'm glad you like my name!!! I also remember the whole baking thing and that's the only thing that I'm not very good at!!! I can probably only make sandwiches, mac and cheese, and anything in the microwave. Pathetic, isn't it? And about her being a klutz – I'm that too! ALL OF THE TIME!!! :) Thanks for reviewing!!!
Hazelmist: Cool! I just got your review when I was writing this!!! I'm really glad you like their, er, what's the word I'm looking for - predicament? And is the next chapter up soon enough for you? :) Thanks for reviewing!!!
Whoa!!! I just wrote that whole review section twice as fast as I have before!!! Either I'm getting good at this response thing, or there's not enough reviews… I'll go with the first…
NEXT CHAPTER: Sirius enters the story and – all of you people who have read my other story, NO! He is NOT a bad Sirius, thank goodness! I don't hate Sirius either, in fact – I'm thinking about eventually writing a story all about him!!! Eventually… Not many ideas now, though… Oh yeah, we find out about another one of Lily's friends that you haven't heard from before. That's basically the main highlights.
Thanks for reading!!! Now, you don't have to review anymore but I would REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY like you to review anyway. Please?!?!? Don't make me give you the puppy dog eyes… I'm the master at them… Yes, I'm known as Master Puppy Dog Eyes. They come to me for lessons – only twelve payments of $29. 95!!!
(Ha, ha, I made a joke!!! I'm so funny… Ok, relax, Amelia, you didn't have that much caffeine, did you???)
Oh well, I'll let you go now. See ya!!!
Yours truly,
Amelia Bedelia
