Fight
"Moony, Moony! It's me!" James said, trying (and failing) to sound confident as the fully-fledged werewolf advanced menacingly towards him, growling. "Moony? Remus? I'm James. Prongs. James Potter, remember me?" James backed away slowly, swallowing frequently even though his mouth felt dry as a bone. "Er…you don't wanna kill me, mate. I'm skinny, don't taste nice. Moony? Oh, fuck!" Remus was charging at him now, drooling in anticipation. James knew you should never turn your back on an adversary, but sprinting towards the exit was probably going to be more useful that hobbling drunkenly backwards and watching as your guts were torn out.
As he ran the few metres towards the hole which led outside, James could almost feel the werewolf's jaws closing around his throat. This spurred him on even further and he made a giant leap through, or at least part way through, the exit hole. He landed half in and half out of the hole, bruising his hips and probably breaking a couple of ribs, judging by the sharp pain in his torso.
He struggled to pull the rest of his body through and, just as he was dragging his knee over the threshold, he felt strong, lethal jaws clamp around his ankle.
"Fuck!" James yelled, screwing his face up against the pain. Any second now, Moony's fangs would hit and break his skin, and he didn't want to think of the consequences of a werewolf bite. He thanked his late grandmother silently for this particularly horrible, itchy and, more importantly, thick pair of socks. Not even thinking what he was doing, James turned around and, using the wand he had been clutching ever since he had caught sight of Snape, used a quite skilful (or so he would tell his friends later) impediment jinx which, more out of luck than any particular aim on James' part, hit the werewolf's jaws and caused him to release James' leg. As fast as he could considering the situation, James scrambled out of the hole and pressed himself against the trunk as a rather lethal-looking branch whipped past his head.
Remus' snapping jaws were visible out of the hole but, in his current state of mind, he did not know how to freeze the Willow's branches. James, seeing that he was safe, could breathe once again. Now his only problem was how to get away from the Willow…
>
"- and then I had to leg it all the way up to the bloody castle before they locked the doors!"
"Wow, James. That was really brave of you!"
"Yeah, it was amazing," said Sirius, batting his eyes. "So amazing, in fact, that Wormtail may have a wet dream about it tonight, eh Rat-boy?" Peter went bright red.
"Aw Sirius, leave him alone. He can't help how in awe of me he is. After all, so are half the school."
"If you say so, mate," Sirius rolled his eyes. "Don't see why you didn't just leave Moony to finish Snivellus off though."
"Bit harsh, Padfoot."
"Deserves it though, doesn't he? If ever there was a Death Eater in the making, it's that one."
"True, though it'd deprive us of many a fun time to come…" James winked over at a girl on the Hufflepuff table, who promptly giggled, blushed and dropped her fork in her baked beans, causing them to splatter all over her front.
Sirius guffawed. "Nice one, mate!"" Peter, who had only just caught up with the conversation, started sniggering too.
"Where's Moony?" James asked Peter, who was usually the one who kept an eye on the Hospital Wing. Peter shrugged.
"Dunno, probably still in the infirmary."
"He doesn't know –" James broke off as Lily and Jess sat down beside him.
"I doubt it," continued Sirius in a hushed voice. "He can't normally remember what happens when he –" Sirius broke off again, looking around, "- can he?"
Peter and James shook their heads, and James pretended to notice Lily's presence. "Oh, hey Lils. Good sleep?"
"No. For some reason, all I could hear all night was an odd sort of howling…sounded kinda like a dog. Or a wolf…"
James, Sirius and Peter all paled instantly. Of course, Lily had heard nothing of the sort, but now she had found out exactly what she needed to know: something had gone on the previous night between the Marauders and their fourth member who was currently MIA.
"Where's Remus this morning anyway?" Jess asked innocently. Actually, this innocence on her part wasn't feigned, as only Lily had any idea about Remus' lycanthropy.
"Er –" Sirius started.
"He's in the Hospital Wing," Peter continued, clearly thinking fast. "He's got –"
"A furry little problem." James finished, and for reasons unknown to Jess, all three boys and Lily chose hat moment to burst out laughing.
"Right…" Jess said, but merely looked thoughtful and turned back to her steaming mug of herbal tea.
Lily took a sip of her own tea and spluttered. "Ugh, what is that? It tastes like…gravel or something. Yuck!"
"Mine's alright," Carrie piped up from the other side of the table. "Weird flavour though; mandarin or something. Could have sworn it was Earl Grey…" she shrugged and resumed her conversation with Chrissy.
After a few minutes, Jess took a sip of her tea. "UGH! VOMIT FLAVOURED? WHAT THE HELL?" She had spat her tea all over the table, drenching a couple of third-years sitting across the table from her. Then realisation dawned, and she turned to the Marauders, eyes narrowed. "It was you, wasn't it? You switched the bloody teabags for Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Teabags! You…stupid…immature…annoying…little…"
"Geniuses?" James suggested. For a split second, Lily thought Jess was about to explode, but she didn't. She reached across the table for a jug of milk, and threw it in James' face.
Lily thought she was going to split her sides laughing. Milk was dripping from James' nose, down the lenses of his glasses, down the collar of his shirt and, strangely, down each spike of his tufty hair. By now, almost all of the Gryffindor table who had seen the incident and assorted members of other tables were laughing hysterically at James' expense. Scowling, he shook his head rather as a dog would, showering everyone within about eight metres with milk droplets. Then he smiled at Lily, and she didn't like the evil look he had in his eyes.
"Sorry guys, it was Lily's idea." Lily's jaw dropped as James continued innocently, "you know how she gets sometimes." Before Lily could even voice her indignant reply, Jess had picked up the magically refilled milk jug and thrown it all over Lily.
"Argh! Jessica frikkin Radley! That's a new frikkin top! Urgh!"
James was bent double with laughter, and Jess looked like she was about to suffocate. "Oh –" laugh, "- bloody –" giggle, "- hell –" snigger "- Lily!"
"It is not funny!"
"It really is," Carrie giggled. "Look at yourself, Lils." James sniggered as Lily looked down at herself. "And you, James. You're worse than she is, actually." James growled, grabbed the milk jug, and threw it at Carrie.
"Ugh! James Potter, you will pay!"
James was laughing too hard at Carrie's appearance to notice her vault over the Gryffindor table, causing everyone in the vicinity to back away, terrified, and grab the milk jug. James suddenly realised that both Carrie and the milk jug were missing.
"Er…guys…where's Carrie? Where's –" he gulped, "- where's the milk jug? Why are you backing away? What –"
At this exact moment, Carrie grabbed the back of James' collar and poured the entire jug of ice-cold milk down his back. James gave a high pitched shriek, causing even the teachers to stop and stare. James leapt up, grabbing a tureen of porridge and dumped it unceremoniously over Sirius' head.
"FOOD FIGHT!"Chrissy and Peter yelled simultaneously.
After ten long and messy minutes, the students finally ran out of ammunition. Very wisely, Professor Dumbledore had alerted the House Elves in the kitchen to stop filling up the dishes. He had, however, prevented Professor McGonagall trying to stop the food fight.
"Don't worry about it, Minerva. They're only children, after all."
"Yes, but Albus! They're destroying Gryffindor's reputation!"
"Rather fantastically, I must say."
"Albus!"
"If you try to stop it, you'll only get covered in food. Besides, it'll give the third-year Charms class something to do. Filius was just saying to me how they needed to improve their Scouring Charms."
"Whatever you say, Albus," Minerva McGonagall went back to her cornflakes with a sigh.
Back at the Gryffindor table, James, Lily andPeter emerged from under the table. James and Lily were, fortunately, only covered in milk. Peter, for some strange and miraculous reason, wasn't even ruffled, let alone covered in food. The Gryffindors not hiding under the table, however, were covered from head to toe in an assortment of breakfast dishes, beverages and anything else they had been able to lay their hands on, including mint humbugs.
Within seconds, everyone in the Great Hall was in stitches, even Professor McGonagall, though she tried to look disapproving. James and Lily sighed, looked down at themselves, looked at each other, and joined in the hysterical laughter ringing around the stone walls.
"Come on, you lot," Jess said, looking disgruntled. Than, when no one paid her any attention whatsoever, she shouted at them. "For heaven's sake! We've got classes in a few minutes and we're all covered in food! And Lily and James will probably stink to high heaven once that milk dries out!"
"Oh, chill out," James said. "You're just pissed off because you've got your precious hair messy."
"Well shouldn't I be?" Jess screeched. "None of this was my fucking fault!"
"Well…" Lily said brightly, "if I remember rightly –"
"Which she generally does," Chrissy piped up.
"- You were the one who chucked the milk in the first place."
"Well that was only because you two were so fucking immature!"
" Jess said, looking disgruntled. Than, when no one paid her any attention whatsoever, she shouted at them. "For heaven's sake! We've got classes in a few minutes and we're all covered in food! And Lily and James will probably stink to high heaven once that milk dries out!"
"Oh, chill out," James said. "You're just pissed off because you've got your precious hair messy."
"Well shouldn't I be?" Jess screeched. "None of this was my fucking fault!"
"Well…" Lily said brightly, "if I remember rightly –"
"Which she generally does," Chrissy piped up.
"- You were the one who chucked the milk in the first place."
"Well that was only because you two were so fucking immature!"
"Yeah," James muttered, "because throwing milk is so incredibly mature."
Jess opened her mouth, her expression furious, but she was cut off by Professor Dumbledore clearing his throat. The hall, and the laughter of people still staring at the Gryffindor table, ceased also.
"Professor Van Spyk has just informed me that your lessons start in approximately four minutes and twenty three seconds, so I suggest you all get to class. Oh, and I feel I ought to mention that lateness with no better excuse than that the student or students concerned are covered in food will be punished with instant detention."
"Bet I know who we've got to thank for that…" Chrissy grumbled.
"Bloody Slytherin," Sirius scowled, glaring and Professor Van Spyk, who was sipping daintily out of a coffee cup and looking highly pleased with herself.
"So, on that note, chop chop! Off to lessons you go!" Dumbledore beamed and sat back down to continue his conversation with Professor McGonagall.
"Argh! What did I tell you? If we'd just scarpered then, when we had the chance…"
"Shut up, Jess." Everyone looked at Carrie in shock. The girl must have PMS or something – she was normally the peacemaker. Then, sounding much more like her normal self, she said, "We've just got to make the best of it, I suppose."
Theseven Gryffindors got to their feet, neither Lily or Sirius sparing each other a glance although they walked next to each other in silence all the way to the entrance hall.
"Come on, quick!" Chrissy hissed. "We can sneak up now, pretend we're going to Divination or something!"
Lily checked around her furtively, then followed Christina up the marble staircase, the others in hot pursuit. As they reached the top, they heard Chris groan. "Bugger!"
"Nice to see you too, Miss Marsden. Oh, and half my class, I see! Well, isn't that just lovely? I can escort you to Defence Against the Dark Arts personally!" she smiled sweetly and gestured to them all.
"If she thinks I'm going anywhere with her…" James muttered to Lily, narrowing his eyes.
"Follow me please," she began to walk. "And if anyone even thinks of slipping off, it'll be detention for a month and fifty points from Gryffindor." Turning round and seeing the appalled looks on each of their faces, Petra smirked in satisfaction and sped up.
As they walked, each of them (except Peter and Carrie, neither of whom could multitask to save their lives) managed to perform a scouring charm to remove most of the food stuck to them. Sadly, however, this didn't seem to have any effect on odours; Lily and James were both beginning to smell rather sour.
At no point in the lesson, for some reason, did anyone come remotely close to Lily and James' desk, even Petra, who usually made a habit of having a chat with all her students. They found that everyone steered clear of them in Charms, too, and at break everyone seemed to disappear like lightning. Lily and James were left to enjoy each other's company all that morning without interruption. Professor Flitwick was too distracted by mumblings of, "Better than Cheering Charms!" and "Pure genius!" (this last one made James smirk rather more than Lily would have liked) to teach them deodorising charms that lesson. As their third class was Transfiguration, neither of them could do anything about their smell until lunch.
As soon as Professor McGonagall released them, both raced up to Gryffindor Tower, James arriving ahead of Lily, to shower and change. Lily ran up to her dormitory, grabbed a towel, shampoo and some clean robes, and headed down to the prefects' bathroom. When she entered, she heard that someone was already using one of the two shower cubicles against the far wall, so she entered the other, hung her towel up on the door, and undressed.
The occupant of the other cubicle clearly hadn't heard Lily enter the bathroom, as the sound of her shower being turned on shocked whoever it was. Lily heard the unmistakable 'thunk' of a bar of soap hitting the tiled floor, and then the squelch of someone stepping on it. After a loud 'thud', someone yelled, "Argh! Motherfucking titwank!"
"Don't tell me –" Lily said between giggles, "- you just trod on the soap, Potter?"
Evidently he hadn't been expecting her to speak, as another thud sounded, and James yelled, "Fucking hell, woman!"
"What'd I do? And, for that matter, what did you just do?"
"Stubbed my shitting toe. And you scared me! Twice!"
"Haha, I mean – sorry," she carried on laughing silently, leaning against the cubicle wall for support.
"I should bloody think so," James said sulkily. "I'll get you back for that, Evans."
"Yeah. Right." A thought suddenly occurred to Lily. "Don't even think about looking under the gap – I can read your dirty little mind."
"Damn. Foiled. No, seriously Lily, I can't see without my glasses on and if I turn my head sideways they'd fall off, so it wouldn't really be worth trying. And don't you try it either – I could see that, even if I am as blind as a bloody bat."
"Wasn't planning to," Lily said.
"Liar."
"Whatever. Why are you in the prefects' bathroom anyway?"
"Remus gave me the password."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me – all for one and one for all, right?"
"Yup."
Lily sighed and shampooed her hair. It was a weird though actually, James Potter stark naked in the neighbouring cubicle. She hadn't had much chance to use the prefects' bathroom so far, and she'd never showered while someone else did. She smiled and rinsed, bubbles seeping through to next door.
"Don't tell me you're washing your hair?"
"Yeah, I have to."
"Why?"
"Why? Because otherwise it looks like crap."
Lily could almost see James shrugging. "Ah well, mine looks like shit anyway, so why bother?"
"Cos otherwise it'll smell like milky shit."
"Won't."
"Will."
"Fine. Pass me your shampoo. It's better not be girlie stuff."
"It isn't." Lily slid the bottle under the gap.
"Ow, that's my foot! Are you trying to kill me or something?"
"Definitely. Anyway, I'm done. I'll see you in a minute. And I want my shampoo back!"
"Right-o."
Lily wrapped a towel round her, and swore as she realised her clean clothes were on the other side of the bathroom. She would have to run across as quickly as possible and scramble into her clothes before James left the shower. In her haste, she slipped on the wet floor and landed dramatically in the huge bathtub.
"Aw, shite!"
She heard James' shower turn off and the door open. "Lily? What happened? Where are you?"
Lily almost laughed at his panicked voice, but then winced as she knocked her rib again. "I'm in the bath."
"In the bath?" She heard his feet padding over, then saw him (upside-down) squinting over the side of the bath at her.
"In the bath," Lily repeated.
"Fell in?"
"Yup."
"Ouch."
"Tell me about it."
"Hold on." He disappeared from Lily's (rather restricted) vision and then swung himself over the side of the bath, slipping on the wet bottom and landing on his ass next to her.
"I could've told you not to do that."
"Shut up, I'm being helpful here." Lily raised an eyebrow. "Well, I see your eyebrows aren't broken…anything else?"
Lily wiggled her limbs experimentally then shook her head. "I'll have some killer bruises though." She sat up and winced.
"You need the hospital wing?"
"Nah."
"Sure?"
"Very."
"Okie dokie, up you get then." James reached out a hand and pulled Lily gently to her feet. She then realised that both of them were only wearing towels, and went pink, staring at his naked chest.
"What?"
"Nothing," Lily said, averting her gaze. Then she suddenly realised that she, too, was showing off a lot that she didn't want to, i.e. her legs. She tried to pull her towel down further, then had to hoist it back up at the top.
"Don't worry," James said, sounding amused. "You look fine, and if you won't believe that, my glasses are still pretty steamed up anyway."
Lily grinned and looked at her feet. "Well you're climbing out first – I don't want you seeing up my towel."
"What about my towel?" James asked in mock indignation.
"There's more of your towel than mine."
"Well actually, that's not strictly true –"
"Shut up and get out."
"Well there's gratitude for you!" but he climbed out anyway, waiting for Lily at the top. "Can you walk alright?"
"I think so." Lily took a few more steps, and pulled a face. "My ankle's a bit fucked."
"Ah well, you'll live."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Mr Sympathetic as always."
"Well, actually, I have been pretty sympathetic in the past, but if this is all the recognition I get for it?" James folded his arms and refused to look at Lily, though she could see him trying not to smile.
"I'm sorry. It is appreciated, and you know it." He still didn't turn round, so Lily put her arms around him, giving him a backwards kind of hug, and let her head rest on his shoulder.
"Alright, I love you too. Don't get all soppy on me."
"Aw you're a big softie really."
"That secret stays between you, me and the bathtub."
"What secret? What were you doing in the bathtub?"
Lily and James spun around, crashing into each other and falling over in the process.
"Myrtle! How many times have I told you not to spy on me in the bathroom!"
"She spies on people in the bathroom?"
Myrtle nodded. "I wasn't spying now though, or I'd know what you were doing in the bathtub."
"We weren't doing anything in the bathtub," James said rather too quickly, and Myrtle raised an over-bushy eyebrow. "Fuck off, spotty." Myrtle's eyes filled with tears and Lily looked at James, aghast, as the ghost zoomed away.
"James! You fucking –"
"Lily, relax. It's the only way to make her leave." He clambered to his feet then pulled Lily up.
"Really?"
"Yes. Would I lie to you?"
"Yes."
"I wouldn't!" he walked over to his pile of clothes and picked them up, walking away in the direction of the shower cubicles.
"I'm sorry!" Lily shouted as he disappeared. She, too, picked up her clothes, but she hobbled rather than walking over to the empty cubicle. Deciding to wait until she got back to her dormitory to sort her hair out, she put her clothes on and tucked her hair into her collar so it wouldn't drip everywhere. She walked out to find James waiting for her.
"Figured you might need help walking," he said, and she smiled gratefully.
"Thanks."
He put his arm round her waist and they made their way out into the corridor, moving pretty slowly. Suddenly, they heard a derisive laugh from right behind them.
"Well, if the mudblood whore hasn't found a new one already! Lunchtime romp in the showers, hm? It's enough to put anyone off their food."
"Bellatrix," James nodded.
"How did you get there?" Lily asked incredulously, looking at Bellatrix, who had appeared in the doorway to the prefects' bathroom.
"The prefects' and Heads' bathrooms are linked, idiot. Hasn't one of your precious books told you that?"
"Leave her alone, Bellatrix. I don't see why you'd be bothered even if there was something going on between us." These words stung Lily slightly, although she knew they were true. "You hate Sirius."
"True," Bellatrix smiled nastily, "but I hate the mudblood bitch more."
"Come on," James whispered to Lily, and they turned their backs, leaving Bellatrix behind. As they left the corridor, Lily turned back and saw that Bellatrix was leaning against the wall exactly where they had left her, not blinking, watching them intently.
I had to try SO hard not to write some incredibly smutty shower scene, haha. Seriously, my fingers seem to run away with me and write something totally different to what should be happening. This milk fight actually happened to me a few months ago, and let me tell you - I STANK!
I've been on work experience 9-5 this week, so I'm absolutely shattered. Ever since the review count hit 51 yesterday, I've been slaving away getting this up for you, so I hope it's alright!
Weird Not Boring Well, you could have reviewed so I didn't know it was you...or just reviewed a chapter you hadn't reviewed yet :) Oh, and I love cliffhangers...that and I haven't really decided what is gonna happen with some people yet anyway. You think I'd let them kiss this early in the story? Well,I might...depends what happens really. I nearly wrote it in this chapter, but that would've been wrong. You don't kiss while wearing towels. Well, you don't just kiss while wearing towels...thanks a lot!
Freja Thanks! I can see where you're coming from, but I don't write just for reviews. I love writing, but you've gotta understand how frustrating it is not to get any feedback. Sorry this took so long, but I've been really busy.
Angel2510 I'm really sorry you've had to wait so long! i've tried to make this a good 'un, but I was so tired I really don't know what I came out with. I've been drawing dinosaurs, fairies and jewellery all week, so my mind is a little...confuzzled. :D
MrsDanRadcliffe Wow, thank you so so so so much! You mad emy day, my week, my month...maybe not my year, cos Christmas is still to come...thank you! You've got a very good point about James and Sirius - I'll try to do something about that. I'm editing my previous chapters at the moment, so I might add a few extra little snippets. Also, arrogant-prick-ness will develop. I'm figuring it would be much more fun to watch it develop than just take it for granted. Again, thank you so much! I updated as soon as I could :)
vivphy05 Thank you!
Jessie Thanks a lot, you got the update sooner than most people!
Megan Thanks, hun!
Jackie Fluff and shit...can be arranged. Thanks.
Samantha Thanks, adorable was definitely what I was aiming for...strangely frustrating though.
Kara Haha, that made me laugh. 'Sex is good.' Sounds like something I'd say...Thanks a lot babe!
Amanda Sorry if it's confusing, I find it hard to tell how it comes across to people. Are there any parts that really need work? Thanks:D
YOU GUYS ROCK!
Anyway, I'd really like 10 reviews again, so when the count gets up to 62 I'll definitely post, but I may (if I have lots of time and energy) post before then if you're lucky. Fingers crossed!
Becca x