The Key to Apparition is CONCENTRATION

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Chapter 3

Remus

'As they say,' Sirius reels off, 'the key to apparition is concentration on Destination, Determination and Deliberation.'

Lily's eyes flicker towards Sirius for a moment before returning to James's face. A smile is forming at her mouth which she is obviously trying to keep in check by biting her lower lip. She is failing desperately.

I swiftly elbow Sirius in the side and glare when he faces me and try to shut him up.

Maybe, finally, Lily will agree to go out with James.

The rest of our 6th year group is in an uproar: shouting across the hall to each other, trying to discover what event could possible result in Lily being held in James's arms. McGonagall, predictable as ever, is yelling over the raucous to get everyone listening and, as predicted, her methods are not working for approximately 97.85 of the population of Hogwarts 6th Year.

' – a headache.'

What? Bloody brain being too perceptive about my surroundings. I've missed most of the conversationg!

Sirius turns and smirks when he sees my expression of confusion.

'For Merlin's sake Moony, for once in your life, accept that you can't multi task and pay attention!'

'Hypocrite,' I mutter back although I'm certain he didn't hear it because of the volume of the yelling around us.

Since when does Sirius pay attention, let alone try and concentrate on more than one task?

I think that someone is a tiny bit jealous.

Huh?

Why is Lily leaving???

They're meant to kiss!

'It wasn't going to happen then, Moony,' Sirius whispers to me (I must have accidentally spoken that last line out loud…). 'They were both too stunned to move let alone grapple tongues in an emotionally passionate display and earn a week of detention from Minnie. I must congratulate the both of them later today for their use of conversation when hit with such an emotionally deep event. Why didn't you listen and be perceptive about the important conversation rather than the world around you?'

'Shut up, Sirius.'

I know: brilliant comeback.

And I'm supposed to be the well-spoken one…

Pft.

Somehow, Sirius has wrenched my mouth speechless and I can't think of a decent retort.

Merlin help me…

He's singing…

'The hills are alive with the sound of James confessing his love for Lily-'

Sirius is interrupted by Peter hissing back, 'Sirius, that doesn't work. You have too many syllables. Besides, it's 'The hills are alive with the sound of music.' Haven't you ever seen the Sound of Music.?'

Peter does a shocking, mind rendering rendition of the line in a whispering wail as McGonagall has the hall under control and he obviously doesn't want to be caught out talking again.

Sirius cringes at Peter and then leans over to me in mild surprise, 'Peter has seen a muggle movie?'

I roll my eyes in reply. Peter is the major hijacker of the Potter's muggle VCR over the holidays and Sirius knows this fact as well as I do.

Sirius realizes that he should be defending himself and snaps out of his surprised look and swings back to his original tone of voice.

'Peter! Haven't you ever heard of being creative? I thought that my song line was very appropriate given the circumstances. And besides, you have the wrong movie! The song 'The Sound of Music' is from the movie 'Moulin Rouge!' I would know – I saw that movie with James over the holidays! (Sirius obviously enjoyed the interesting dressing and dancing throughout the movie – cough, cough) It's at the start, you know when the guy is filling in for the play and they sing 'the hills are alive with the sound of music?'

Peter shakes his head in disgust as Sirius sings the line. If he and Peter were auditioning for that muggle Idol shown on television, they would have been the most hilarious auditionees to play on the audition tapes.

Before Peter can open his mouth to object, Sirius turns around to where James is standing frozen and gives James his cue to agree and back him up. I let out a small cough to cover a snort. Sirius has got to be stupid if he thinks that he can wake James up from his trance of staring at the door through which Lily left.

'Prongs, mate? You with us?'

Sirius waves his hand up and down in front of James's eyes with no success. Peter steps back slightly as he sees Sirius bite his lover lip in an attempt at controlling his patience.

As predicted, it doesn't work.

'JAMES!'

'Whoops,' Peter mutters and edges slowly away from Sirius and towards a group of silent students nearby.

'MR BLACK! ONE DAY OF DETENTION! IF I CATCH YOU SCREAMING AGAIN, IT WILL BE A WEEKS WORTH!'

'Nice, Pad,' Peter whispers, 'perhaps next time, remember to talk softer.'

Sirius grins and rolls his eyes.

'PETTIGREW! WOULD YOU STOP TALKING AT ONCE? I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE TO INTERRUPT PROFESSOR TOFTY TO TRY AND GET IT THROUGH YOUR BLOODY THICK SKULLS TO SHUT UP!'

Once again, complete silence engulfs the hall and the mass of the hall take a hesitating step away from McGonagall, shocked speechless by the use of her slightly colourful language.

Peter looks as though he's on the urge of wetting himself – he can't cope well with being told off by a teacher.

On the other hand, Sirius looks completely indifferent and instead of shutting his mouth and obeying McGonagall, he turns to James once more, determination in his eyes to get the boy in front of him to do the right thing and snap out of his semi-conscious-self-induced-coma.

'Ok, James, it's enough. Stop staring at the door and look at me when I'm talking to you. I said, 'look at me!' Fine. Don't look at me. But I'm still going to ramble on in your ear and you had better be listening to me.'

James does not respond.

Sirius takes a deep breath and Peter, once again, takes a step away, knowing as well as I do that deep breathing is not a brilliant way to control anger and impatience. Well, with Sirius, anyway, the method tends to fail for the majority of the time.

'James, you are a Gryffindor. That means that you're meant to be brave and courageous.'

Still no movement on the receiving part of the speech.

'You are not supposed to be completely stunned and petrified whenever a conflict comes along.'

Sirius is very far from succeeding whatever it is that he wants to achieve.

'For Merlin's Sake James! (Luckily, Sirius remembers to keep his voice down) If you're so infatuated with Lily go and find her!'

'Huh?'

We should have known that the word 'Lily' would wake him up…

'You're missing your chance! Go and find her!'

James gives him a questioning look as if to say, 'who?'

'LILY! WHO ELSE WOULD I MEAN? NOW GO BEFORE YOU LOSE YOUR LAST EVER CHANCE WITH HER!'

Peter has a second and a half to mutter, 'whoops' before McGonagall completely loses her head.

'SIRIUS BLACK! TWO WEEKS WORTH OF DETENTION! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT, RIGHT NOW!'

Sirius bolts out of the door, dragging James along with him.

I look at Peter.

Peter looks at me.

I look back at Peter.

Peter looks back at me.

'Whoops?' Peter asks.

I roll my eyes.

……………………………………………………………………

Lily

I always thought that the Hogwarts House system was completely overrated and a misrepresentation of so many people.

I was always correct.

Apparently Gryffindors are brave and courageous people.

Apparently.

Or apparently not in my case.

And so, I have achieved my goal of proving the school wrong by locking myself in a broom closet somewhere on the third floor. I wasn't even brave enough to leave my wand outside the door and really lock myself in for eternity. Or perhaps, the fact that I have my wand with me means that I still have the chance to redeem my 'bravery and courageousness' and escape from the broom closet to face the world? I highly doubt it. I think it's more the fact that I'm a little nervous in the dark and my wand just happens to double as a muggle torch as well as being the key to redeeming my 'bravery and courageousness' that is buried very deep inside.

Bravery is so overrated.

Take Jam- I mean Potter for example.

If he's so in love with me, why didn't he follow?

In fairytales, when the princess – actually, in my case, perhaps the not-so-gorgeous damsel in distress – flees from the dreaded castle away from the evil dragon and its minions – in my case, The Great Hall, McGonagall (who I'm sure is quite capable of breathing fire), Tofty (Head minion – could murder someone by just talking to them into a stupor) and the 6th Year students (the remainder of the minions – murder by embarrassment) – isn't the brave prince/ knight in shining amour – in my case, perhaps James Potter – meant to chase after the princess and rescue her and convince her of his undying love for her?

That means I have to stay here until James finds me.

Which could be another couple of years if he hasn't even left the hall yet.

Why didn't I bring food?

Or maybe, he won't even come to look for me.

Not that I care of course.

I don't need a knight in shining amour to find me and look after me.

I always did like fairytales though…

…when I was younger, of course.

No, I'm an independent, modern day girl who can live by herself and doesn't need a boyfriend to protect her.

Maybe James actually doesn't love me…

Oh my god.

Where the blazes did that come from???

Lily Evans??? Is that you???

What is wrong with you head???

You've mused about the words 'James' and 'boyfriend' in almost the same paragraph…

Something is wrong.

Very wrong.

I mean, I don't like, let alone love, James. So why should he be obligated to love me?

I don't love James Potter. He doesn't love me.

And it doesn't bother me, ok?

But…

I don't love James Potter!

Maybe…

I don't even like James Potter!

Well… actually that's a lie. I kind of like him.

But I don't love him.

No…

I don't love him.

Well, I don't think that I do… much…

Repeat after me: I do not love James Potter.

But what if I did love James Potter? I did apparate to him.

By accident.

But remember: Destination, Determination and Deliberation. And it was him that I apparated to.

I don't love James Potter. I'm not even crying about the fact that he didn't follow me. If I'm not crying, it can't have meant that much to me. Right?

Right…

See, I'm not cryin – Lily? Oh Merlin…

……………………………………………………………………

A/N:

Sorry for not updating in ages – I've been having problems with my computer for a while and it just got fixed so I'm back to writing!

I think I'll do one more chapter after this one.

What do you think?

Review and give any opinions/ideas/ or just say hi!!!!

NOTE: I have just loaded up 2 chapters of a new LJ fic that I'm writing called 'Musings, Notes and Broken Resolutions of Lily and Co.' so if you get a chance, please have a look at it!

And remember: review!!! Please:)

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