A/N: I don't own any of the characters etc. but I hope you like the story. Thanks for reading, although my summary kind of sucked.Please review, review review!
Chapter 3: The Hogwarts Senior Challenge
Lily woke up the next morning to an empty dormitory. The moment she opened her eyes, she felt all the memories of yesterday fly through her mind. All of a sudden, Lily was painfully brought back down to earth by a raw throb from her head.
"Ahh!"cried out Lily as she held her head between her hands.
"Lily!" called out both Alyss and Kayt as they skidded into the room. They sat on either side of her bed and started asking her about last night, how she felt, what had happened, why James was upset, their voices merged together and Lily couldn't hear what they were saying……it was all happening too fast.
"Shutup, both of you!" shouted Lily angrily.
There was a stunned silence as both girls stopped in full flow with their mouths still opened.
"Lily, I-" started Alyss.
"I'm so-" began Kayt.
"Please, just don't ask me about anything now. I've got a pounding headache and I DON'T feel too agreeable." said Lily rather forcefully.
Alyss and Kayt looked down ashamedly before running off to get her an antidote for her headache. They returned soon enough with a goblet of a dark murky looking liquid which Lily gulped down gratefully despite the way it looked. Her headache vanished immediately and then she looked up to the expectant looks of her two best friends. She sighed amusedly before narrating as much as she could remember of last night's events. When she finished telling her friends she had tears in her eyes and her friends were silent.
"Oh Lily, I'm so sorry. This is my entire fault. See, Sirius told me about how he was going to spike the drinks and if I'd warned you-" said Kayt dejectedly.
"No Kayt. This is no one's fault, don't blame yourself." interrupted Lily.
"No you guys, its all my fault. I thought that after what happened to you last year with James that maybe you would be better off with someone nicer like Darren, who liked you for ages. So I told him that you thought he was cute and he should try-" mumbled Alyss quietly.
"God, you two. Just stop blaming yourselves. You maybe could've stopped it from happening but it happened and that's all that matters now. Ok" said Lily.
"Yeah" said Alyss and Kayt nodded silently before Lily pulled all of them into a huge friendly hug.
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A 7th year meeting was called that afternoon by Professor Dumbledore about a Hogwarts Challenge that would be taking place that year. All the 7th years gathered in the Great Hall as rumours were passed around about the Challenge. The Doors unexpectedly flew open and Dumbledore strode in to be received with a great big applause from the Marauders and a few screams from the faint-hearted due to his impressive entrance as thunder and lighting lit up the skies outside. Lily dared to sneak a look at James during the uproar to find him glaring right back at her. Luckily for her Dumbledore choose that precise moment to begin his speech.
"Dear 7th years, I hope you have all had an enjoyable first week," smiled Dumbledore, his merry blue eyes twinkling from the candlelight. "As you all know, this is, sadly, your final year at Hogwarts and so the school has decided to try out a new idea which we might continue in years to come if successful. It will also prove to be an adequate form of NEWTs for those taking part in the challenge and for those that aren't their studies shall continue as planned. So I assume you are all wondering what the Challenge is. It is similar to the Triwizard Tournament but the Houses compete against each other. A member of each house will be chosen by the Sorting Hat and they will compete against each other to win the trophy for their houses. The Challenge will involve three tasks which will be watched by the whole school and judged by a panel of five teachers and myself." said Dumbledore before looking around and asking "Are there any questions?"
"Sir, how will the Sorting Hat choose us?" asked a Ravenclaw student.
"The Sorting Hat will choose whoever it thinks will have the most chance of winning from each house, Mr. Hewitt." answered Dumbledore.
"But Sir, how will the Sorting Hat know what we're like now. If it knows what any of us our like it will be from when we were in first year, Sir." said another Ravenclaw.
"Yes, Mr. Brigdier. I apologise, my mistake. I forgot to mention that the selection process will involve you wearing the Sorting Hat yet again. Therefore the Sorting Hat can decide whether you can take up the challenge or not." countered Dumbledore without missing a beat.
"Sir, what if we do not wish to take part in the Challenge" piped a girl from Hufflepuff.
"I'm sorry Ms. Dertjer but the Challenge is compulsory. Each and every 7th Year shall go through the selection process. If you do not wish to take part, the Sorting Hat shall know and will therefore not select you. The same applies if you are injured in any way. Please remember the Sorting Hat is choosing the most likely to win for their House, it will therefore take into account both mental and physical attributes."
"Sir is the challenge dangerous to the competitors? Is there a possibility of the contestants facing death? " asked Lily, with no idea what triggered that question.
Dumbledore's voice took on a serious tone although his face was still smiling.
"The contestants do face the possibility of serious injury although the teachers will be doing their best to keep the Challenge as safe as possible. However we are relying upon the participants to be able to defend themselves for which they will take part in a preparation course. Though I am sure all of you are skilled enough to defend yourselves so already." replied Dumbledore calmly.
Lily nodded as the Great Hall was so silent, you could probably hear a pin drop.
"Well, if that is all, then let us be on our way. The selection process date will be posted on the Common Room Notice Boards once decided. I hope you are all looking forward to this year and what it brings. I am sure many things will change" concluded Dumbledore on an enigmatic note and glanced at both Lily and James significantly before sweeping out of the Great Hall.
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Later on that evening Lily decided to confront James about last night. She went down to the Common Room and joined Sirius and Remus who were lounging in the armchairs by the fire.
"Hey you guys" said Lily conversationally as she sat down in a spare seat.
"Hi Lily" greeted Remus pleasantly.
"How you doing" said Sirius rather distantly and guiltily, before jumping up as the portrait door swung open and shouting, "I'll see you round guys" and running off.
"What's up with him?" wondered Lily out loud at Sirius's very odd behaviour.
"I don't know. He's been like this since the party. I think something happened between him and Kayt." replied Remus uncertainly.
"Really. Oh God. I've been such a bad friend lately. I've just got so much on my mind." said Lily tiredly as she rubbed her eyes. Remus smiled at her sympathetically and patted her on the back.
"Remus, do you know where James is-" started Lily as James climbed through the portrait hole laughing with Britney Solana, Lily noted that he had her over-applied lipstick smeared all over his mouth.
James gave Lily a burning glare before loudly saying, "Britzi hun, how about we go somewhere more private again, away from prying eyes" accompanied by a meaningful look directed towards Lily.
"Yeah Jamesie baby. We don't want any other envious bitches choking themselves from jealousy huh?" laughed Britney vilely as she stared openly at Lily. Though James's jaw had tightened visibly as Britney called Lily a bitch, he smiled forcedly before kissing Britney wetly. Lily couldn't bear it as Britney began to lick his face out and she was disgusted by the way James proceeded to lick her back.
"Remus, I'll see you later, I got to go" muttered Lily as she jumped up to get out before she started crying.
"Lily, no don't. James is-" attempted Remus, to no avail as Lily sprinted past him with tears in her eyes.
James tugged his face away from Britney to see Lily flash past him and he instinctively looked towards Remus to ask what was wrong. However, his look was returned by Remus with one of disgust as Remus marched up to him.
"James mate, that's just right out of order." said Remus before running of after Lily.
"Remus! REMUS! OI! WHAT'S OUT OF ORDER? WHY? ARE YOU HER NEW BOYFRIEND NOW? OH FOR F'S SAKE! " shouted James angrily. He kicked a chair in rage.
"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT! GO AND PRACTICE THE BLOODY DISARMING" vented James as he shouted at a couple of terrified looking 1st years.
"Jamesie? Jamesie babes, cal-" tried Britney slightly worriedly.
"Britney, I'll talk to you later" said James in a tight, constricted voice before disappearing to the Boy's Dormitories.
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A/N : So now you've read it, please please, please review and let me know how it was.