A/N: Hello my beautiful humans! Thank you for coming back for chapter 2! This chapter is going to see a little bit more action than the last, but with some lovey moments as well. This is a quick update, so I hope you guys enjoy and leave a review and let me know how I'm doing! I want to do the original fic justice, so please let me know if you think I'm doing that! :)
Disclaimer: All rights to JK Rowling and Jewels5. I own nothing.
Previously on Words Left Unsaid: At the latest death eater meeting, Snape told Malfoy that he wanted to recruit Regulus Black as a new member. Lily and James kissed after the memorial. Marlene and Adam confessed their love to each other after the memorial for his sister, which prompted a shag. This leaves them to deal with Prudence Daly, Adam's current girlfriend.
"A Bloody Good Mess"
Dirty Little Secret
"What?" the four observers chorused at Marlene's confession.
"Oh god," Marlene looked at her feet, a slight blush creeping in on her cheeks.
"James, do you think you guys could give us a minute?" Lily asked softly, guessing that Marlene would feel more comfortable without the marauders present.
"Yeah, Sirius, let's go."
"Just as things were getting interesting," he replied, which prompted James to slap him upside the head. And with that, they walked down the hallway.
"Marlene, what happened?" asked Mary as Marlene made her way into James's bedroom where the girls all settled on his bed. They sat in a circle with their legs crossed, and Lily and Mary waited expectantly to hear Marlene's story.
"Oh god, I don't even know. I don't even know what happened, it just, it just happened," she put her head in her hands.
"Okay, I'm sorry, I just have to ask: it was Adam right?" Mary asked.
"Yes, you dolt."
"How was it?" Mary asked excitedly. Lily knew that she should be reprimanding Mary for asking such a question, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't curious.
"Perfect," Marlene replied with a sigh. "Which is part of the problem."
"Okay, how did this happen Marlene?" Lily questioned.
"Well, I went back to his house last night after the memorial because he didn't want to be alone. And we agreed to not talk about the kiss, because there were just too many emotions running through both of us yesterday to even think about that. So we were just sitting, and talking, and joking around. And then all of a sudden, he's telling me that we have to talk about it. And then he's telling me that he loves me, and he never stopped loving me, even though he's with Prudence, he just wants me. And his eyes looked so genuine, and I mean, how could I ignore that. So I told him …" she took a shuddering breath, "I told him that I love him too."
"Oh my Merlin," Lily and Mary said in unison to this confession.
"I know," Marlene continued. "I didn't even think twice, it just all came spilling out. And then I told him that, while I do love him, we can't be together."
"Why?" Mary practically shouted.
Marlene took a moment to compose herself, and eventually replied, "Because, I'm a muggleborn, and he's a McKinnon. I just can't put that target on his back."
"Marlene, stop," Lily piped up, and surprised not only Marlene but herself in the process. "I have watched you suffer in silence while you had to watch Adam with Prudence. And it is so fucked up that some wizards in dark cloaks and hoods are going to sit there and say that you two can't be together. I mean, you two have clearly had feelings for each other for quite a long time. And it is just so bloody ridiculous that you shouldn't be able to act on those feelings. Especially now that you guys are finally ready to admit them. I mean he's wanted this for years, and you have been too stubborn to even think that it could be a possibility, and now just when you're starting to realize that he's actually a really, really great guy, and you're finally ready to let yourself see what he's seen for all these years, some terrorist group is going to stop you and tell you that you can't be happy. It's bullshit …" Marlene and Mary both stared at the redhead, mouths agape, sharing the understanding that she was no longer talking about Marlene and Adam.
"Lily," Marlene started softly.
"No, no, I'm sorry," she regained her composure. "I'm sorry. This is about you and Adam."
Marlene hesitated before eventually continuing, "Okay, well so, I thought I didn't want to put that target on his back. But he said he didn't care, and he said he wasn't going to let his sister's death be in vain. He said she couldn't have died for nothing, and then before I knew it, he got up and we were kissing, and then his shirt was coming off, and then we were laying down, and then …" she pulled her lips to the side and looked down, hoping that she wouldn't have to go any further.
"Agrippa," Mary said at last. "What a mess. Although from the sounds of it, it was a bloody good mess."
"It was bloody good," Marlene huffed. "But he has a girlfriend. I just feel so horribly guilty. And Prudence of all girls, she's like the nicest, sweetest, tiniest little bottle of sunshine in existence. And now, what am I, just some whore that sleeps with a bloke that's got a girlfriend."
"Marlene," Lily began, "this wasn't just 'some bloke'. This was Adam."
Tears began to fill in the blonde's deep blue eyes. "I know. And I feel like I've just mucked everything up. And I've confused myself, and I'm sure he's confused, and poor Prudence is about to have her heart broken, and I for one, know how that feels, and I just I …" she dissolved into tears.
Mary and Lily both pulled her into an embrace and soothingly rubbed her back.
"It's going to be okay Marlene. It will, I promise," Mary's voice came through, in an attempt to calm Marlene down. "I know it will." If only Mary had known what a true mess this was all about to become. But no one could have seen that coming.
I'm Yours
It was the night before classes were to start again, and James had apparated to Hogsmeade and was making the trek up to the castle in the cold, November air. It was incredibly clear out, and he could see all the stars and constellations as he looked up at the sky. Looking up at the glowing orbs, the wizard had one thought on his mind. What were he and Lily? He knew what he wanted them to be. He had wanted Lily since he was eleven. And now there was a chance that she might potentially want him too. And he just had no idea how to keep his cool knowing that. They had kissed, which had to mean something, but he couldn't help but second guess himself. What if, now that they were back at school, she wanted nothing to do with him. What if she kept her distance. What if -
His thoughts were interrupted, as he stepped into the main hall, by a flash of red hair coming down the marble stairs towards him. "Hullo," she said coming up to him and standing at his side.
"Hey," James said, inexplicably nervous.
"Alright Potter?" the redhead asked, as she noticed how fidgety James was.
"What are we doing Evans?" her smile faded into a slight frown.
"What do you mean?" she asked, confusion furrowing her brow.
"Evans, look, it's no secret that I've wanted you for the past seven years,"
"I'll say," Lily said with a smirk, interrupting what she guessed was going to be a very sappy speech. James chuckled nervously.
"But, Snaps, do you like me too?"
"You mean, do I like, like you?" she asked, relishing in the fact that James looked so skittish. She stepped closer, facing him. Their feet were mere inches apart. She rarely saw him nervous. He was usually so confident in himself, but yet, he couldn't seem to keep his cool right now. The thought that it was her causing him to be so nervous made her blush. But all the same, messing with him would never get old.
"Quit playing with me Evans."
"Where's the fun in that?"
"Answer the question,"
"Answer mine first."
"What? You didn't ask me anything."
"I know, I just wanted to mess with you,"
"Cute," he said sarcastically.
"I'd like to think so," she replied, before leaning forward and tilting her head up, looking into his eyes. "Yes," she whispered. He closed the gap between them and kissed her softly on the lips. It was gentle, and she noted, perfect.
"Lily Evans," he rested her forehead against hers. Hearing her name on his lips made the butterflies in her stomach flutter.
"Yes?" she said with a smile.
"Are we going steady?"
"As long as you agree to never wear that horrible fedora again, I'm all yours."
"That was cold Snaps," he stated but he was laughing nonetheless. "That hat was amazing, and let's not forget it saved us in Falstaff's office."
"Come here you idiot," she whispered, pulling him in for another kiss.
Nervous
The day that they got back to Hogwarts was a difficult day for Adam. Difficult because it meant trying to go back to normal when absolutely nothing felt normal. Difficult because he felt like he was abandoning his sister, going back to school and sitting in a classroom, taking notes on pointless subjects, when she died fighting for something. Difficult because he would have to face Prudence. The girl who had told him that she loved him just one week ago. And he would have to break her heart.
He met Marlene in the common room of Gryffindor tower as everyone started filing it, arriving for classes to start the next day.
"Hey," she said hesitantly.
"Hullo," he replied, just as sheepishly. It was such an odd situation. They knew they loved each other. Hell, they'd admitted it to each other. Yet still, he had absolutely no idea what to say to her right now.
"How are you?" she asked.
"Good. Fine, I guess," he answered her question, for what felt like the five hundreth time from a slew of askers. He always responded the same. He was hoping if he said it enough times it might make it true. No luck so far.
"Well listen, you know if you need anything you can just ask. And I brought some muggle records back with me - Led Zeppelin, if you want to give them a listen later? Oh! And I brought back a tape of football too, so you are watching that with me at some point," she chuckled to herself.
"I stand by what I said. If there's no flying, it's not a sport," he allowed for a small smile.
Marlene stuck her tongue out at him in response. Merlin he loved her cheeky little retorts. "I think Lily, Mary, Donna, and I are gonna head to dinner in a few minutes … do you want to come with?"
"I, er- well, I think I ought to have a chat with Prudence first." He was blushing as he said this, immensely uncomfortable, both at the prospect of that future conversation, and at the one that he was having right now.
"Right, of course, well … good luck, I suppose?" Marlene said, and Adam let out a laugh. He rubbed his hand along the back of his neck.
"Tricky situation we've put ourselves in, innit? But I meant all of it. I love you Price. But, I don't want to hurt Prudence. So, I think it would probably be best to avoid anything, sort of …" he made a vague gesture with his hands, "you know, PDA of sorts. Just for a few days."
"Respectful 'til the end Adam. Of course," she smiled, and pulled him in for a hug. "We can keep things under wraps for a few days. I was thinking the same thing."
No Good in Goodbye
"Adam!" Prudence found him as he walked into the great hall for supper. She had been sitting with some Ravenclaw friends of hers, but was immediately on her feet when she saw her boyfriend walk in. It was the first time they were seeing each other since the memorial, and Prudence was incredibly happy to see him. Adam, however, was dreading this interaction.
She hugged, and kissed, him as a way of greeting. "I've missed you," she said at length, pulling away to look up into his eyes.
"Prudence," he really had no idea how to even begin this conversation, "Er - do you think that we could have a chat out in the hall?"
"Of course," she replied with a sweet smile. She does not deserve this, Adam thought. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes," he replied quickly, without quite thinking. Because, he realized, things were about to be very, very not alright. He tried to correct his mistake, "No, well sort of, it's, I just, we need to have a chat."
Prudence was very confused, and Adam looked extremely uncomfortable, she noticed. His eyes kept drifting towards Gryffindor table. He looked upset, almost like he might be sick. She really hoped he was alright, after all he had been through in the last week. Whatever he was feeling, she was sure that they would be able to handle it together.
The couple made their way into an abandoned corridor off of the main hall and stopped walking, Adam standing against the wall and Prudence facing him. "Adam, what's going on?" she was very confused, particularly because Adam had kept his eyes trained on the floor the whole walk into the hallway. Whatever he was feeling, he must have been very upset.
"Prudence, I have to tell you something."
"Okay…"
"But, I would like you, if it's okay with you, to let me explain fully before doing anything. Because I really, really owe you an explanation."
Her always cheerful face was beginning to crease and frown. "Adam, what is it?"
"Prudence, I care about you a great deal. And I never, ever would want to see you hurt. But, I have to be honest with you," he took a deep breath. "I don't love you, Prudence. And there's a reason for that, which is that I er-" he hesitated and then, "I love Marlene. And the night before the memorial, she came over to my house, because she wanted to check on me. We kissed, and … well, I just, I don't think it would be fair to you to be dishonest. I just can't be with you Prudence. And I know I have really mucked things up, and made you look like a right mug in the process, and that was never my intention. You have to know that Prudence." He realized that he had been looking at the floor for his entire confession. He chanced to take a look at her, and Prudence's eyes were wet with tears.
"How long?" she croaked out quietly.
"What?"
"How long have you been in love with her? I mean have you known this whole time that we've been together, that you were in love with somebody else?" She looked so hurt. But she deserved the truth, and he knew that.
"Yes," he replied simply at first, before elaborating. "I have been in love with Marlene since fourth year. And I told her so last year, and she didn't feel the same. And I was crushed, but I resolved myself to move on. I willed the feelings away, and I convinced myself they were gone. But they never really went anywhere."
"And when I told you I loved you last week? What then? You didn't think that was a good time to clue me in?" tears were fully streaming down her face at this point, and Adam had never felt so guilty and terrible in his entire life.
"Prudence, it wasn't like that. I mean, when you told me, I, well I …" but he broke off, because it was like that. But how could he tell that to this crying girl, who had been nothing but kind to him and always seen the good in him? "Deep down, I always knew that I would love Marlene. But I really thought that those feelings would go away with time. And being with you, was lovely, Prudence really. And I really do care about you. You were never a reboundfor me. But when Marlene came to my house, after, after Sarah, I just… I realized something that I had been repressing. But Prudence, you have to believe me when I tell you that none of this was your fault. I have been a humongous prat, and if you don't want to talk to me, ever, ever again, then I completely understand. But you deserve the truth."
She stood there in front of him, looking at the floor, and crying. It was a few moments before either of them spoke.
"Prudence, please say something," Adam pleaded.
"You have really hurt me Adam McKinnon," she replied. It was all she said for a minute before she continued. "And you really, really, don't deserve this, but I really hope you two are happy together. You and Marlene, I mean. I see the way she looks at you." She frowned and nodded her head, "I always thought it was like the love shared between a brother and sister, but I see now how blind I was …" she dissolved into more tears.
"Prudence…" Adam started, and reached out to embrace her in a hug, but she took a big step back.
"No," she said. "I do hope you are happy, but I cannot be around you right now. I'll need a little while to process this, and I would like your discretion, and I would like you to keep your distance for now."
"Of course," he replied softly. And on that, Prudence turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Adam standing against the wall in a corridor off the main hall, feeling more awful than he ever had before. He slid his back down the wall, and sat down, placing his head in his hands. He really was terrible. And he really did love Marlene.
Wish I Knew You
It had been a week since classes had resumed, and Mary found it strange how easily everyone was able to go back to normal after everything that had happened. How easily she was able to go back to normal. Hogwarts was like a safe haven for her; she had her friends there, she had magic there. She felt happy to be back. She felt safe. And she felt the most, truly herself there than she had anywhere else.
She floated to her potions class, talking with Lily about Marlene and Adam. Mary always loved a good gossip.
"I know he told Prudence last week, the poor thing hasn't looked right in days," Mary said.
"Well it's a lot for her to process."
"Oh of course. I wonder how Adam's feeling? He probably feels like a right prat."
"Mary!" Lily reprimanded as they walked into the classroom and found seats together towards the back of the classroom on the left side.
"I'm just being honest."
"There's a thing called 'discretion' Mary. It's where you filter what you say so you don't sound insensitive."
"Well yes, but that's no -"
"Alright, everyone please stand up. I will be assigning your partners for today's potion brewing," Slughorn stood at the front of the class and started his pairings. Potter with Black. A terrible choice in Lily's mind. Price with Daly. McKinnon and Lupin. MacDonald and Cattermole. Atwater and Pettigrew. Evans and Snape. Bloody hell.
"What the hell is Slughorn on this morning?" Mary asked in a rushed breath as she gathered her things to greet her new partner for the day. "Putting you and Snape together. And Marlene with Prudence no less. This hour cannot be over quick enough." And with that she was up and walking across the classroom to sit with Reg Cattermole, leaving Severus Snape to take the vacant seat to Lily's left.
"Hello," Lily started, hoping to keep the conversation minimal and civil as best she could.
"Lily," he said as a form of greeting the head girl.
They began slicing the gilly root for their potion, and stirring the pieces into the water, unicorn tear mixture that was beginning to bubble in the cauldron. It was five minutes before either of them spoke.
"I saw you and Potter holding hands in the corridor," Severus whispered to his partner.
"I suppose you would have," she replied, not looking up from her work with the ingredients. She was not in the mood for an argument, and hoped that she would be able to diffuse the explosive conversation topic. She had no such luck, however.
"Lily, what are you thinking?" Snape asked incredulously.
"Severus," she turned to look at him. "This really is not your concern."
"It is when you're consorting with idiots like that."
"What, like your lot is so much better? They'll protect a mudblood like me in this bloody war that's heading right for us?"
"That's not what I mean," Snape said looking down at his feet, embarrassed that he had begun this conversation at all, but in the middle of a classroom no less. Thankfully, no one had noticed that anything was amiss between the pair as they spoke in hushed tones.
"Well what do you mean then? Please enlighten me on your all knowing powers that can tell me who I should and should not spend time with." Lily was getting very sick of Snape's mistrust of her judge of character. They weren't even friends anymore, so it shouldn't matter what he thought. Severus would always be an important part of Lily's life, she was mature enough to recognize that. But that gave him no right to criticize her dating choices, especially because they had not been on speaking terms for months.
"You know what I mean Lily. He's a git, and you're selling yourself short."
"Oh am I now? Selling myself short with someone who actually has my well-being in mind? Selling myself short with someone that got arrested with me this summer fighting to protect my right to be a part of the magical community? Selling myself short with someone who has matured more in the last year than in the first sixteen of his life? Selling myself short with someone who can surprise me with how good and kind he can be? Yeah, likely Sev."
After that, her partner was quiet. He returned to the phoenix feathers that they would need to add into the potion in a few short moments. Lily was thankful that the conversation had ended. She was less thankful when she noticed James looking in her direction and smirking, that classic, frustrating, beautiful smirk of his. She guessed that he had heard her whole speech to Sev, and she guessed correctly. She felt a blush creep on her cheeks, and she buried herself in her potions book, trying to look busy, which made James smile to himself all the more.
On the other side of the classroom, James and Sirius made more jokes than they did potion, for which Professor Slughorn reprimanded them, and then reprimanded himself for pairing the two together. Adam and Remus worked well together, talking and getting their potion to the brewing stage without a hiccup.
Mary and Reginald managed to make it to the same stage, bubbling the amber liquid over a low flame, and they began chatting while Mary tended to the phoenix feathers.
"You went to the memorial then?" Reginald asked.
"Yes, of course. Didn't you?"
"Yes, I was there. I just wasn't sure you would be, since you're muggleborn and all," he hoped he didn't come across as offensive, but Mary didn't seem to notice.
"I did have to get crafty with my mum to be fair. I told her I was going to a church service for a 'wizarding holiday'," she said this last part in air quotes.
"You haven't told her what's going on then?"
"I'm not exactly sure how that conversation would go. 'Hey mum, by the way the whole of wizarding England is likely about to erupt into a giant war of which I, your only daughter, am the main target. It might reach muggle England, so be ready,'" she plastered a fake smile on her face and made a thumbs up.
"No, I don't suppose that conversation would go well," was Reginald's sole reply.
"Your parents are both magic?"
"Yes, they are. Makes things a bit less complicated, at least."
"A lot less complicated I'll say," Mary huffed.
"Oh, I didn't mean -"
"No, no it's alright, it's not your fault. It just would be nice to not have to worry about all of this. Not to say that you don't have any worry, because of course you do, but you know less. I just think that'd be nice."
"Right. I'm sorry Mary. That you have to deal with all of this. But all the same, keep your chin up. I heard the other day from my old man that the ministry is going to put some new orders into effect to curb the death eaters' movement. This might all blow over as a fad, and we'll all be back to our normal life."
Mary knew that nothing could go completely back to normal. Not now that so many people had been killed. But still, she liked, admired, Reginald's optimism. "Very optimistic of you," she replied.
"Well, no matter what happens Mary, you are truly a brilliant witch. And no one can take that away from you."
The brunette felt her face getting hot. Her perfectly glossed lips formed a smile upon her face, and she turned her attention back to the phoenix feathers she had been working with. "That's really sweet of you Reg. Thank you," she whispered.
In the very front row sat Marlene and Prudence. Marlene did not think that she had ever been in a situation so awkward in her entire seventeen years on this Earth. Both girls sat quietly, neither breaking the silence.
Eventually, Marlene felt as though she had to say something. She focused on the gilly root that she was chopping, not chancing a look in Prudence's direction when she spoke, "Prudence, I'm so sorry." She felt as though she owed the Ravenclaw that much.
"Marlene, look, strange as this may seem," she looked up from the cauldron to look at the Gryffindor, "and I told Adam the same, I really do want you two to be happy together." Marlene was completely taken aback by this. She expected Prudence to hate her guts not to be giving her well wishes with her ex-boyfriend.
"Adam never wanted to hurt you," Marlene felt compelled to say. "He really did care about you."
Prudence nodded slowly looking back into the cauldron, "I know he did. He's a good guy. You're lucky to have him." All Marlene could think of was how much easier this whole situation would be if Prudence would just be a bitch to her. Prudence Bloody Daly.
"Don't you hate me?" It slipped out of Marlene's mouth before she had any time to think about it.
"No, of course not. It's not your fault; we can't help how we feel Marlene, and I don't hate you for following your heart. It just hurts right now is all."
"You're a really nice person Prudence." Marlene could not believe how well Prudence was handling the situation. She wished she had the same grace as the Ravenclaw in these tough situations.
"Thank you," Prudence replied, beginning to work on the phoenix feathers they would have to add the potion in a few minutes. "I do wish you two the best, and I don't hate you. But if it's okay with you, I'd really like to finish the rest of our potion without speaking."
"Of course," Marlene replied, stirring the water and unicorn tears. While she, herself was feeling uncomfortable, Prudence was able to handle herself with such ease and elegance that shocked Marlene. Prudence was so mature and kind, and all she wished was that more people could be like that in this scary, scary world that they were entering into. "Of course."
Sucker
November 25 was a brisk Friday morning, covered with clouds and gloomy weather. Lily slowly stirred into consciousness in the head girl dormitory. It had been two weeks since the memorial service. She was grateful to be back at Hogwarts. She was grateful that classes had started up again last week. She wanted things to go back to normal. Or as normal as they could right now. It would be a slow transition, but she was sure, positive, that everything would be okay. Painful as things may be right now, she knew that it was temporary. How temporary, she did not know. But it would be okay. She knew it would.
She slowly made her way out of bed, and headed to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. Today was going to be a good day. She was sure of it. Mainly because she saw the opportunity to mess with James, and she took it.
She made her way to the great hall to find Sirius, and spotted him sitting across from Remus.
"Have either of you seen James this morning?" she asked of the pair.
"Only for a second. He was going to the head's office. He's probably still there. He looked a little stressed. Although I thought you would have found him in your bed," Sirius smirked.
"We are not shagging," Lily said pointedly. "But she's done it then."
"I think so," Remus responded with a smirk.
"Yay," Lily said, looking quite pleased with herself.
"I like your messing around with us, Snitch," Sirius added.
"Quit calling me Snitch, I don't get it." She stood up. "But me too," the redhead added, squeezing Sirius's shoulder out of excitement.
She made her way out of the great hall, and up to the fourth floor. She rounded the corner to the head's office, and as she approached, she noticed that the lights were on. She thought she might find him here. She smirked to herself.
"Point deduction forms calling your name, Potter?" she joked, stepping into the office.
"Lily!" he declared, looking frazzled to see her there. He hadn't actually been sorting through any of the papers on the desk she noticed. He was just sitting at the desk. But once she entered, he stood up and made his way to where she stood in the doorway.
"How are you?" he asked, embracing her in a warm hug. She loved the way his arms felt around her. He loved the way she smelled.
She couldn't say that she was unhappy about the hug, but it seemed out of place. Which of course meant that it was perfectly in place. After a few moments she stepped back, and looked up at him, "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing, nothing's wrong Lils," he said nervously rubbing the back of his head, and mussing up his stupid hair even more, she noticed. But she also noticed how incredibly uncomfortable he looked, which prompted her next statement.
"Listen, James, I'd like to think I know you pretty well at this point, although we both know that no one truly understands you, not even you. But, nonetheless, something's up. Spill."
"Lily, really nothing's wrong." All she had to do was look at him and arch one of her eyebrows before he was talking. "I may have kissed - no no, gotten kissed, definitely not reciprocated - by a fourth year, this morning." He stared down at his shoes, unable to look his girlfriend in her eyes.
"Wait what?!" she took a step back, disentangling herself from him.
"I swear, I did not prompt or encourage this Lily. At all. I was just coming down from my room, about to head to the great hall for breakfast. I was going down the stairs, and then this, this fourth year, Melanie Camp, she came out of her room right as I was passing by on the staircases. It was like she was waiting for me or something. And then all of a sudden she grabbed my hand, and she whispered in my ear …"
"Whispered what James?" she asked, trying to act as angry as she could, although it was becoming increasingly difficult to hide her mirth at seeing the quidditch captain so out of sorts.
"She said she was in love with me. That she has been for a few years now."
"WHAT?!"
"But Lily, I really haven't ever even talked to this girl before. Nothing more than a hullo in the hallways, I swear, I don't know where it came from, but then she was kissing me, and I have no idea what prompted this."
"It seems to me Potter," she said with her sternest voice, although she had to turn her back to him to hide her smile. "That you really like having all this attention. You seem to love having two girls fighting over you. Makes you feel important, does it? Didn't get your fill from Meloni vs. Mumps?" she really hoped that him not seeing her face would be able to hide the happiness she was feeling at this.
"What, no, no, Lily, I swear - I'm not even sure I've said more than two words to this girl in the last seven years, I really don't even know why -" suddenly Lily turned around smirking. "What?" he thought he couldn't have been more confused after he had been kissed this morning. But he was wrong. He was more confused now that Lily was smiling at his confession.
"You are so gullible Potter," she started giggling.
"What are you…?"
"You really need better friends. It was so easy to convince them to mess with you."
"I should've known," he tried to look angry, but Lily's incessant giggling was too infectious and he let a smile take its place on his face. "So it was your idea then?" he asked disbelievingly. "You got another girl to kiss me?"
"Yes, this one was all me," she started towards him. "I just figured we could all use a little loosening up after everything." She wrapped her arms around the beck of his neck. "Plus," she tilted her head to whisper into his ear, "I needed to test your loyalties."
He swallowed hard. "Trust me, I am not jumping ship for Melanie Camp," he responded and he took a step back, because he could not be this close to Lily right now. "Shelley Mumps, maybe, but … ow, Lils!" he exclaimed as she hit him on the arm.
"You git," she stepped closer.
"Prig," he responded. She was craning her neck up to him. Her emerald eyes were shining so brightly. Her freckles were like a whole universe that he wanted to get lost in.
She looked up at him. She looked into his eyes - more green than brown in the fluorescent lighting of the heads office she observed - and then at his lips. His lower lip was bigger than his upper. She wanted to know all of these details about him. And then she realized just how close they were. They were breathing the same air. Hot breath mingling.
She closed her eyes, and started leaning up further, and he closed his own. And then they were kissing. Proper snogging. Her fingers were getting lost in his hair as his roamed the small of her back. Without thinking, and without losing the contact between their lips, James picked Lily up off of her feet, and spun them around, and then placed her on the head's desk.
She sat on the desk, and she became suddenly aware that he was standing between her legs. She thought that with Luke, this may have bothered her or made her uncomfortable, but here, now, with James, it was thrilling. She did not mind one bit. In fact she rather enjoyed it, and she enjoyed it even more when his hands started to roam up her legs. And then, just like that -
"Hey Lily, do you know where the point deduction -" they were interrupted by Remus. "Oh my god, I'm sorry, I er- I'm gonna , I'll just go, I … sorry." The couple quickly pulled apart. Lily tried her best to smooth her hair out, and fix her skirt from where it had begun to ride up. James straightened his glasses and stood looking at the ground.
"That's alright, Moony, I'm gonna head out. And Lily can help you with whatever you needed."
"Right, I just, I," Remus started.
"That's alright Remus. We're moving on," James gave him a pointed look, and then walked out the door. Lily really hoped that her lips weren't too puffy or her cheeks too red at that moment.
Regulus Black woke up on a Friday morning in November of 1977, completely unaware that on that day, his life was going to change forever. He was about to take the final step that would lead him on a path that could not be untrodden. Ignorant to this fact, the young Black made his way into the Slytherin common room, on his way to the great hall for breakfast.
"Black," it was Mucilber who called his name. The sixth year walked over to him and sat down across from where the older boy sat at the round wooden table. "You have your assignment from Malfoy."
"I don't understand why I am not getting it directly from him," Regulus rebutted.
Mucilber answered him with words that had come directly from Lucius Malfoy himself at their last meeting, "The group is growing Regulus. Sympathy for our cause is rising. People are finally sobering up to the fact that the only way forward is with pure blood. More people means more to take care of, Black. Malfoy is at the head of this thing, he doesn't have the time to meet with everyone individually like he used to. But trust me when I tell you: do your task and your in. It's all hands on deck now."
"What is it?" Regulus asked, ready to take on whatever he was challenged with. He was ready to prove his worth, and finally do what he had been born to do. There was a reason he was a Black, and he was ready to show it.
"The same assignment we all had," Mucilber smirked, referring to Avery, Snape, Hester, and himself. "And all completed successfully, I might add. An unforgivable curse."
"On who?" was Regulus's sole question.
"Whomever you like. But if I were you, I might go for that blood traitor brother of yours. One of his lot. Teach them a lesson, and make a move for yourself big enough to get some eyes on you from Malfoy and the others. You'll need to perform it by the end of the month. And you need a witness, so call one of the four of us when you're going to do it."
"It doesn't matter which curse?"
"The imperius will be the easiest of course, but the cruciatus, well that one can be quite fun when used properly. Ask Snape about that one, he used it on that mudblood Evans last year. I'd stay away from the Avada Kedavra if I were you. Don't want too many outside eyes watching us right now. And getting expelled won't do you any of us any good, as we're here to feed information from Hogwarts to the dark lord."
"Right," Regulus nodded and got up, heading to breakfast. As he made his way out of the Slytherin dungeons, his mind was set. He knew exactly what he was going to do. And on whom.
"Evans," James approached, coming down the dormitory staircase, and spotted his girlfriend sitting on the couch near the fire, reading a muggle book.
"Hullo," she replied, finishing her page and then placing the book down on the table in front of her. James sat down next to her, and put his mouth extremely close to her ear. To an outside observer, it may have looked like an overt display of PDA, but in reality, James was delivering a message.
"You're sure you're fine doing rounds by yourself?"
"That's the best way that I can cover for you lot. Having someone with me will raise questions of where you are."
"Alright, well be careful, and don't wander too much if you don't have to. Stay away from the dungeons and get back here at 10. I won't be back until late, so I'll see you tomorrow," he kissed her on the cheek, and she was content with the small show of affection.
"I'm not as worried about myself as I am with you. Be safe," she returned. "Don't do anything stupid."
"No promises," she said with his classic lop-sided smirk that made her stomach flip. And just like that, he was out the portrait hole and on his way to the shrieking shack.
Lily began gathering her things together to head out for rounds. She had two hours of walking through the halls on a Friday night to find, if she were lucky, or unlucky, she thought, a couple snogging in a broom closet. She was not looking forward to it, but at the very least, it would give her time to think and clear her head.
She walked through the west wings of the seventh, sixth, and fifth floors, and debated where she should go next. She checked to see the time and was pleased to see it had already been an hour. Nine o'clock. She wished that she had James with her, but all the same his previous engagement made her extremely proud. He was willing to help his friend, and put himself in such a dangerous position to do it. It was so like him. Never thinking of the consequences. Stumbling through life without a second thought. She loved that about him. And hated it. And as she pondered that thought, she decided to head down to the front hall, and then make her way to the lower floors of the castle, which she hadn't patrolled yet.
"Mucilber," Regulus Black came up to the seventh year where he sat in the Slytherin common room.
"Black."
"I'm going to fulfill my assignment. Care to witness? I think you'll like what I have planned," he told the older student with a smirk.
"I'm intrigued, Regulus. You're doing it now?"
"Yes. And, if we're going to get this right, we need to move quickly."
"Alright, let's go."
The two Slytherins made their way through the dungeons, with Regulus leading the way. After all, he was the one who knew where they were going. He had been decidedly vague with Mucilber in what he had planned. The pair travelled in relative silence to their destination.
"Well who are you planning on using it on then?" Mucilber asked.
"I took your suggestion into mind. I want to hurt my blood traitor of a brother."
"You're going to use the cruciatus on your own brother?" Mucilber asked, shock in his voice, and a glint of pride in his eyes.
"No," Regulus said, quickly putting the thought out of Mucilber's head. "First of all, he hasn't been my brother since he decided to break my mother's heart, get sorted into Gryffindor, and consort with all those mudbloods. Second of all, the cruciatus on him wouldn't do anything. The git would be expecting it. I am going to hurt him the best way I can. I'm going to attack that pompous best friend of his."
"Potter?"
"Potter." They made the final stretch through the dungeons, and snuck around the corner into the front hall. Regulus spotted his target standing in the front hall, staring at a piece of parchment. Potter appeared to be completely oblivious to the two newcomers to the hall. And Regulus knew it was his time to strike. He pulled his wand out, and got ready to say the word that would finally get him noticed by those is power.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
James stood, facing the front doors in the great hall, sorting through last minute plans before he was to head out across the lawn and to the Whomping Willow. He glanced down at the map and made sure that there was no one he might run into on his way. He was unaware that anyone was in the hall with him, and was therefore unaware of the danger that was heading his way. He briefly paused, checking out of habit for his invisibility cloak in his pocket, only to remember that he had lent it to Sirius. And in that brief pause, all hell broke loose.
As Lily approached the front hall from the marble staircase she noticed a familiar head of unruly black hair. She watched as he looked at his enchanted map. He stood with his back to her, and she watched and admired him. She was about to call out to him as he slipped his hand into his pocket. She wanted to tell him one more time to be careful, when she saw them out of the corner of her eyes. Regulus Black and Nicolai Mucilber stood in the corner of the great hall. She saw Regulus reach for his wand and she realized all at once what was about to happen.
"James!" she yelled, with panic in her voice. Lily was running before she even realized her feet were moving and she threw herself in front of the red light flying towards her boyfrend.
"Crucio!"
James turned around as he heard the word uttered and was filled with horror at what he saw.
Regulus had no clue how it happened. It was supposed to be Potter. And yet -
"AHHH!" every nerve in Lily's body felt like it was on fire. Every bone felt like it was breaking over and over and over again. All she saw was a blinding white light. The curse hit her in the rib and she was certain that every bone in her ribcage was breaking. Endlessly. Again and again and again.
"What do we have here?" Mucilber said, coming out of the corner, in a voice so calm one may have guessed that he was stumbling upon nothing more than his friends eating dinner without him. "The mudblood sacrificing herself for the blood traitor. It's actually kind of cute.".
James whipped his wand out and flew a curse in Regulus's direction, which knocked him off his feet for a quick second, which was just enough time to stop the curse that was being fired in Lily's direction. James was on his knees in half a second, as Lily let out some shuddering breaths, tears falling freely down her face.
"Are you alright?" James asked frantically.
"I, I - James look out!" He looked up to see orange and purple lights flashing in his direction. He fired counter-curses as quickly as he could, and managed to stave off the hexes that Mucilber and Black threw at him.
"Give it up Potter!" Mucilber yelled. "We all know that if you just let us kill this mudblood, and get her tainted magic away from all of us, we'll all be better off."
Lily lay on the ground, unable to move, unable to help, barely able to think. All she knew was pain. She lay still, powerless to stop the curses that were being thrown at her boyfriend. She winced when one hit him in the shoulder.
"If you wanna stop me, you're gonna have to hit my good arm," James shouted, and began firing curse after curse. "Lily Evans, and your "blood traitor" of a brother," he looked Regulus dead in the eyes, "are better at magic than either of you will ever be, because at least they have the heart to stand up for a cause that's actually worth a damn." James was throwing all different curses in the Slytherins' direction. Anything he could think of. Everything he could think of. He needed to finish this. He needed to get Lily to the hospital wing.
Lily watched as they threw curses at James, and he sent them right back. Colors flying back and forth from the three wands, and the colors dancing across Lily's paler than usual skin, as she laid and watched. Helpless. Paralyzed.
The two Slytherins got a few more scrapes and scratches on James, before he eventually yelled out, "CONFUNDO!" Both the recipients of this curse fell to the ground immediately. Their wands had fallen out of their hands and rolled around on the floor. James had the sudden urge to snap both of their wands, see how they like it, he thought. But his thoughts turned to Lily.
He knelt down and pulled her onto her knees. She lay facing him, and she immediately clutched at his shirt. "Are you alright?" the panic still very evident in his voice.
Tears welled in Lily's eyes, and she shook her head no. "James, everything hurts." She cried into his chest. He stroked her cheek, and tried to comfort her in any way he could. He pushed the hair out of her face, and picked her up, grabbing her back, and the back of her knees. It put a strain on his shoulder, the worst injury he had sustained from the attack, but he didn't care about that right now.
"It's going to be okay," James said, and he began climbing the marble stairs to take her to the hospital wings. He realized in that moment he had been wrong. He once told Lily that he didn't believe in God. But right now, he found himself silently praying, as he ascended the steps, that Lily would be okay. That nothing permanent had happened to her. That this would pass, and her pain would end soon.
James burst into the hospital wing, holding Lily, in a state of frenzy.
"Mr. Potter, what happened?" Healer Holloway gasped looking at the fragile state of Lily in James's arms.
"Cruciatus," he said with a gasping breath.
The shock was written clearly all over Holloway's face. "Oh Merlin. Put her there, on that bed." He spoke very quickly. "How long was she under?"
"I'm not sure, it couldn't have been more than a minute or two."
The healer took his hand to his forehead, distraught. "James, go get the Headmaster. Now." Holloway turned his attention to the girl on the bed in front of him, as James, reluctant to leave his girlfriend in her current state, walked out and quickened his pace in the hallway to get to Dumbledore as quickly as possible. "Lily dear, can you hear me?"
"Mmhm," Lily replied weakly.
"What is your full name?"
Lily spoke very quietly almost inaudible, "Lily Marie Evans."
"Good, good, and what house are you in?'
"Gryffindor."
"And what's the date?"
"November 25, 1977."
"It doesn't seem that there is any mental damage," Holloway concluded after a few more questions. "Are you still experiencing any pain, Lily?"
"Yes," she whispered, "Right here," and pointed to the right side of her ribcage .
After a careful inspection, Holloway determined that she had a broken rib. "I'll have to reset it." Lily nodded weakly. "This will hurt a bit, but I'll prepare a dreamless sleeping draught for you, and you'll be able to rest up afterwards."
Holloway went into the back for supplies to make the potion. He came back, ready to reset her bone. "I just have one more question before I let you rest Lily. Did you see who performed the curse?"
Lily debated for a few moments what to say. She knew who did it. She saw Regulus and Mucilber clear as day. But this was Sirius's brother, and she owed Sirius some level of loyalty not to get his brother expelled. Didn't she? "It was Nicolai Mucilber," she said at last.
"I see," Holloway responded, pursing his lips and shaking his head with a knowing expression on his face. "Did he act alone Lily?"
She had always been one to protect people. She didn't tell secrets. She never had. She knew her place, and she knew that certain things were not hers to tell. But this, this was different. This was not a little secret of who likes who, or who rigged a vote to break up with who. This was an unforgivable curse. And it was unforgivable for a reason. "No."
"Who was with him Miss Evans?"
"Regulus Black."
Holloway's face looked extremely disappointed. "I'd hoped that that brother of his would have been a better influence for him." He reset Lily's bones with a loud crack, and Lily winced in pain. "I'm sorry my dear, I know it hurts. Here drink this," her handed her the potion to put her to sleep, "Get some rest, and we'll handle the rest when you wake up."
Lily might have bitten her tongue if she realized who had been standing in the doorway. She might have thought more about Sirius had she known that he heard that his brother was responsible for her broken rib. She might have told Sirius in private and given him time to process it, had she known that James had run into him in the hallway on the way to get Dumbledore, and offered extremely vague details to follow him. Had she known that Sirius would hear, clear as day, that his brother had just attacked his other brother's girlfriend, she may have been more careful with her words.
But she didn't know he was standing there in the doorway of the hospital wing, with James and Dumbledore in tow. And she had no way of knowing, as she quickly fell asleep after her confession, that Sirius, filled with rage, ran out of the hospital wing. And she had no idea that he was heading directly toward the Slytherin dungeons, ready for vengeance.
A/N: Thank you so so much for reading this far! I don't typically write action scenes, so let me know how I did with that one! I generally have more confidence in my more romantic scenes - let me know if you guys feel the same and are liking those! Ask questions for the story, let me know where you'd like to see the characters go - I'd love to have you all involved! Thank you thank you thank you!
With love,
Gigi xx