Authors Note: Hey everyone! sorry for the super late delay, this month has been beyond hectic. My updates will probably be a bit spaced out but I'm not giving this story up, don't worry! Thanks to the people who review, it really makes posting my story worth wile. Enjoy Chapter 4!
Chapter 4
When I woke up for my run I was conflicted about where to go; I could take my normal route down by the lake, but that lead to potentially running into a certain tousle-haired Gryffindor chaser. After much internal debate, I finally decided that the lake was my running spot first and if James Potter had an issue with me than he could sod off and find a new place to mope about.
Thankfully running into potter was not an issue as he was not down by the lake that morning, and my mental pep talk sounded much more confident than I really felt about running into him. To be perfectly honest, I was determined to avoid potter at all costs today.
When I got down to breakfast, I acted as normally as possible and I think my friends got the hint that I was not willing to discuss my sour mood from the night before; I vowed I would be extra nice to them all day to make up for my behavior last night and hopefully that would be enough of an apology.
It turned out I wouldn't have anything to worry about in regards to running into Potter, at least not until Defense 3rd period; he skipped breakfast altogether and showed up for transfiguration at the last possible minute.
I was also thoroughly distracted in the morning as Collin met me outside the great hall and walked me to transfiguration. My friends kept looking back furtively at me as he casually struck up a conversation with me and we fell behind the rest of the group; Jenny went as far as to wink, quite noticeably, at me but ill give it to Collin, he acted oblivious to their antics and he was really sweet yet not too intense.
He didn't offer to hold my books or any other ghastly couple-esque, thing. We didn't hold hands and he didn't even bring up our date, but It's not like I don't know that care of magical creatures is in the complete opposite direction of transfiguration and that he doesn't usually go out of his way to walk me to my classes, so even though he kept it on a friendly, slightly flirty, basis, I appreciated the effort.
We began human transfigurations today and needless to say I found it really difficult. It wasn't until the end of class that I managed to give Kimmy a snout whereas I had had my tail for nearly the entire lesson. Jenny couldn't manage it at all but that probably has more to do with the fact that she was flirting with her partner Amos Diggory instead of studying the theory.
What really bothered me about not mastering the spell however was despite the fact that Potter and Black were messing around the entire lesson, they both still managed to perfectly execute their human transfigurations; potter was strutting about the classroom with a pair of giant antlers, to the entire class's amusement of course, for nearly the whole period until McGonagall finally put an end to it.
Kimmy tried convincing me that there were plenty of kids who mastered the spell around the same time I did, and some even later but I still felt angry; the fact that Potter was always faster than me with transfiguration smarted.
Charms on the other hand was great; we started nonverbal spells and I had already practiced them with Remus the year before incase they showed up as an extra credit on our O.W.L. I pretty much spent the lesson helping my friends perfect theirs.
Remus came by my table once his friends got the hang of it and we practiced more advanced ones together. As he was nonverbally disarming me for the 2nd time, our conversation changed course. "Lilly, um about last night, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for, well" I cut him off before he could finish.
"Please Remus you didn't do anything wrong, god help me if I had to apologize for all the stupid stuff Jenny says"
He looked unsatisfied at my answer so I hastened to reassure him; truly it was not he who I was angry at. "Really Remus, I'm not angry with you, I never was".
It was at that moment that I saw Potter attempt to walk over towards us; Remus saw where I was looking and grimaced at me. "Listen lily about James, the thing you need to understand…" and that was my cue to leave, there was no way I was dealing with Potter right now. I cut him off and quickly came up with an excuse to leave.
"Listen Remus, great chatting with you but I really better get back over to Kimmy, she looks like she's not having much fun with McDonald over there" and indeed Kimmy really did appear to be barely containing cursing Mary, who was not known for her aptness at spell-work.
I'm pretty sure Remus saw through my flimsy excuse but he let it go and I quickly immersed myself into conversation with Mary about just how lovely her hair looked.
When charms finished we headed over to Defense and the class's anticipation for meeting the new professor was palpable.
We filed into the class and all took our seats but the Professor, Professor Bagnold was his name, was nowhere to be found. After 5 minutes he finally came into the room from his office that was above the classroom connected to a short set of stairs.
He was a grisly looking sort of man, stocky looking and average height and weight. He had black hair with copious grey mixed in and he had a bedraggled appearance and a fast gate. It was an overall slightly intimidating look.
"I apologize for holding you all up, I was filling out paperwork and I lost track of time. I am Professor Bagnold"
We all kind of just stared at him; he looked around the room and searched all our faces and then spoke again. 'Right well, this year we'll be doing a lot of partner work, a bit of dueling…" the class made noises of appreciation at that and he smirked at us. "Ah yes, you kids all seem to love dueling, we'll see how you feel after you've all been thrown on your backs on these stone floors a few times" nobody really knew what to say to that and it did not deter the class from being excited at the prospect of dueling, which we had always wanted to try.
He continued with his short speech "and, yes I know we all hate it, but we'll be doing some theory this year in preparation for your N.E.W.T's next year" The whole class predictably groaned at that, and he spent the rest of the lesson going over the list of topics we'd be covering that year.
I was trying to copy down all the things he was firing off when I felt something hit the back of my head. I ignored it thinking it was an accident. When I felt the sensation again I figured somebody wanted my attention.
I turned around and found a note on the floor next to me.
Evans, sorry for hitting the back of your head but I figured if I sent the note right to your table you'd ignore it. Can I have a word after class?- Potter.
Now based on past experience with Potter I've learned that ignoring his notes just leads to him chucking more of them at me, so I quickly scribbled a reply hoping Bagnold wouldn't notice.
Potter, no you cannot have a word after class. Stop sending me notes.- Evans.
I sent that back to him and only seconds later another note drifted down in front of me.
Evans, I just want to apologize and I figured it would be better in person. Give me 2 minutes! –Potter
Now he was starting to annoy me, first he was a prick last night, and now he's going to get me in trouble on the first day with our new professor. But considering he said he just wanted to apologize, and I was slightly curious at what his excuse would be, I decided I'd give him a chance.
Potter, you have one minute. Don't respond to this note, I don't feel like getting on Bagnold's bad side our first day, thank you very much. –Evans
Jenny was now looking back and forth between me and Potter and I noticed we had attracted the attention of a few other kids as well. Great.
"Lily is that Potter you've been passing notes with?"
"I have not been passing notes with him, I was merely responding to one he sent me, and I've told him to stop anyway".
"But why? I got the distinct impression you were angry with him from the way you've been glaring at him all day"
"I have not been glaring at him" I guess I had been glaring but I didn't realize it was apparent to others.
"What ever you say lily, but despite the fact that you were not glaring at him, what did he do to piss you off this time?"
"if you must know, he was really short with me at dinner last night for absolutely no reason, even Remus tried to apologize for him"
"Right, and was this before or after Collin asked you out?" I stared at her in shock for a moment, and then saw Bagnold staring at us wondering if we were talking. I quickly ripped off another piece of parchment to respond to her so that the professor wouldn't hear us. Apparently I wouldn't be learning anything this lesson.
You're insane! It has nothing to do with that! Potter has been over me for months now ever since the whole Snape thing, and that was if he ever even liked me, which I doubt he did. He just wanted the attention, and was frustrated I always said no.
Jenny gave me a withering look at that note and flipped the paper over and began hastily writing on the other side. I had just started paying attention again when her note slipped in front of my face. I gave an exasperated sigh.
Listen all I'm saying is it's a possibility, and for the record, he definitely liked you even if he also wanted attention. I just wouldn't rule out jealousy quite yet.
I considered that for a second, I suppose there was a slight possibility he was jealous, even though I doubt it, but that still didn't' give him any excuse for the way he behaved. I quickly scribbled a note back.
Even if he was jealous, which he wasn't, that still doesn't excuse him being abhorrently rude to me. We'll discuss this later, quit distracting me!
She rolled her eyes at me but crumpled up the note anyway and stuffed it in her bag. At the end of class Bagnold asked us all a couple questions, calling on us randomly to see what we retained from last year, but it wasn't too bad, only one kid got the answer completely wrong, and soon class was over and it was time for lunch. Kimmy walked over to our table and Jenny and I collected our things but I saw Potter hanging back behind his friends and figured I might as well get it over with now instead of causing a scene in the great hall at lunch.
I told them to go on without me and reluctantly made my way over to Potter.
"You have one minute" I told him shortly. He gave me an exasperated look but I just raised one eyebrow at him; he got himself into this mess, he could get himself out on my terms, or not at all.
"okay okay, listen Lily, I'm really, really, really sorry for snapping at you after dinner, you did nothing wrong, and I know that, and I knew it then too. It's just I was um worked up about my grandpa anyway and then I had a bit of a fight with uh..Peter and I was really err upset about that"
I gave him a disbelieving look, potter was, what, sad at a fight he had with his friend so he got nasty with me? Something about how he was avoiding my eyes when he told me made me question his story.
"really? You were sad cause of fighting with peter and you took it out on me?"
"yes honest! It's not just you girls that get upset about fighting with each other it happens to guys to!"
"Right… then why did you and peter partner up in charms?"
"well we got over it, cause um well that's were Remus comes in. I was just trying to tell Remus about what had happened when you came over and it was just bad timing. Anyway Remus err sat down with me and peter and we hashed it all out and we're fine now"
I still was rather put out with him but I suppose it was a plausible enough story. I think he could see I hadn't fully forgiven him yet because he kept talking.
"listen I know that's not an excuse okay, and I know I had no reason to yell at you, it was just a mistake really, and I'm sorry"
He looked so damn dejected, that I almost felt a little bad for the stupid Pratt. Plus I suppose if my grandpa had just died I wouldn't be in the best of moods, and I know that when I fight with my friends it really makes me upset, and I guess seeing as Potter is pretty hotheaded he would react like that. Ugh, I can't believe I'm about to forgive him.
"okay well that's my minute up so I guess ill uh see you at lunch, sorry." Bloody hell, he's giving me puppy eyes.
"wait potter! Um I guess I forgive you. Even though you're still a git"
"really? Thanks Evans! Ill try not to disappoint again" he said this with a wink and I couldn't help but smile.
I was still considering what Jenny said about the jealous possibility but that thought was eradicated when we walked into the great hall together. Collin was walking in at the same time and I held my breath to see Potter's reaction when he walked up to us and linked arms with me. This was something we always did joking around but I couldn't help but think it had slightly more than platonic intentions now. Potter just clapped him on the back though and said "how's It going specs? I hear your taking the lovely lily out on a date"
Collin smiled at this and we both blushed and he said "yea not sure how I managed it but I'm sure glad I did" I blushed even redder and turned to see Potter's reaction.
Potter just grinned at us. 'well I better get back to my mates before they start bawling from missing me so much, catch you later Evans,…Specs"
As I watched him head over to the his friends I couldn't help but wish he had stayed, he was making me laugh the whole way down to the great hall and we had been in the middle of a conversation when Collin interrupted us.
Never mind though, I was happy to see Collin, even though he was proving to be slightly clingy eve since I agreed to go to Hogsmeade with him.
"so lily I was thinking we could eat lunch together today over at the Hufflepuff table"
Collin was in Hufflepuff, which meant I wouldn't get to each lunch with my friends, but I guess Collin was a pretty good friend of mine and I suppose he sort of expected those things from me now that we had a date planned. I also figured that if I ate lunch at Hufflepuff, I could have dinner at my table, and I'd rather sacrifice lunch anyway.
I smiled brightly at him, "sure lets go". He led me over to the Hufflepuff table and we sat down amongst his friends. Lunch was fun, and all his friends were really nice, they teased me a bit about being an intruder coming from another house and what not but I know it was all in jest and I just laughed along with them.
I tried to let go of the common belief that Hufflepuff's were not the brightest but I couldn't help but think privately that there might have been something to the rumor. Collin was bright enough though and I had a really fun time.
Lunch was over pretty quickly and the rest of the day pretty much passed by in a blur. Herbology was boring cause we focused on theory, and Arithmancy was not very exciting either considering the professor started us off with something simple, but at least I got a head start on my homework when we finished class early.
Soon enough it was time for dinner. As soon as I sat down I was accosted with questions about sitting at the Hufflepuff table for lunch. Jenny kept looking at me and then potter pointedly but I ignored her looks as best as I could.
I had to explain to Mary and Marlene that no Collin and I were not official yet and I'm proud to say I didn't blush at all when Black asked me if I'd be sleeping with the Hufflepuffs as well as dining with them.
Throughout the entire dinner I kept close watch on Potter to see if all the Collin talk was bothering him and I'm happy to say he seemed perfectly content; I would be happy to explain to Jenny later how utterly absurd her jealousy theory was after pointing out his nonchalance at dinner.
After dinner we all relaxed in the common room for a while and I sat and finished up my transfiguration homework with Kimmy while Jenny tried futilely to distract us.
"guys, it is the second night and you're already studying? You two have hit a new low"
"Ms. Hughes, you're bored, looking for excitement, and you didn't immediately come to find me? I'm insulted" Jenny whipped around with a smirk on her face to see Black standing behind her having listened to her complaints to her friends.
"oh god here we go" Kimmy muttered to me, I rolled my eyes at Jenny and Black's antics, they were notorious flirts so naturally they always messed around with one another, truthfully though, they were just friends and even if one of them ever considered liking the other, they both knew a relationship between the two of them would be disastrous.
"Well Mr. Black, I wasn't sure if you were available considering you were getting pretty chummy with McDonald earlier"
"aw Jenny darling I hope that's not a note of jealousy I detect, I might actually think you care"
"never that black" he grinned at her and the two of them wandered off to go play a game of exploding snap.
I tired to focus on the transfiguration but it was getting late and every time I read a sentence some bang would go off or some overly exuberant younger student would cheer about something or other, and I was really getting nothing done.
"alright well I'm not going to get any work done down here with exploding snap in one corner, and those 3rd years with the chess, I think I'm just going to head to bed, see you in the A.M Kimmy"
"okay good night Lils, sweet dreams".
As I was walking up the steps to the girl's dormitory, Remus called my name
"Lily! I spoke to Fabian today, he said we patrol on Friday and he put us together by house for now to avoid as much drama as possible, so unless you have sever issues working with me, we're patrol partners again!" I laughed at the thought of having issues working with Remus, nobody with any shred of sanity could have issues working with Remus.
"That's great! As utterly awful as you are dear Remus, anything beats having to work with that tart from Ravenclaw Samantha Hopkirk."
Potter who had walked over when Remus did looked falsely aghast at my statement
"my, my, Lily Evans, are you speaking badly of another Hogwarts student?"
"oh shove it Potter, the whole school knows she's a tart including herself, it's nothing she'd be upset by"
"oh I don't know Evans, I just can't imagine talking badly about a fellow student, I guess I just don't have it in me" Remus laughed at that one.
"come off it prongs, 2 seconds ago you were gossiping like a 2nd year witch about.."
Potter cut him off before he could finish much to my disappointment
"moony! Shall we not?" Potter spluttered
"alright well, as delightful as the company has been, I'm off to bed, see you both in the morning"
They both bade me goodnight and I headed up to bed.
It was only a few moments later when Jenny and Kimmy came up the stairs and took seats on either side of me on my bed.
"so, Spill, how was lunch with Collin?" came the singsong voice of Kimmy.
"it was really nice, he was super sweet and his friends included me in all their conversations, I actually had a really nice time"
"you sound surprised you had fun Lily pads"
"Jen I'm pretty sure I told you I despise that nickname the first time Sirius black called me it" she just smirked at me in response
"and I'm not surprised its just I wasn't sure if it would be awkward considering Collin and I are used to being just friends, but honestly he didn't really act any differently despite the fact that we don't normally eat lunch together"
"well that's not very interesting, I was looking for spicy details" replied Kimmy with a wink
"well sorry to disappoint ladies but there was nothing exciting occurring on that front"
"well what about your fight with Potter? You guys seemed pretty chummy at dinner and down in the common room, I'm guessing you accepted his apology?" ugh I was Hoping Jenny would have forgotten about my fight with Potter, what-ever I was supposed to point out how stupid her theory was anyway.
"oh yea I was wondering about that myself" Kimmy said hesitantly.
"Yea basically potter was a real Prick the other night but he gave me a pretty descent apology after Defense and I accepted"
"it must have been a damn good apology for Lily Evans to forgive James Potter in under one day" came Jenny's smug voice, then she made a kissy face at me
"oh as if! I thought you guys were all pro Cilly anyway?" I spluttered at the two of them as they laughed at me and then Jen asked "what the bloody hell is a cilly?"
"oh you know, its like Lilly and Collin, combined…" I tried to keep a strait face but we all just started cracking up. Couple names are never cute especially one as atrocious as Cilly. Ugh.
"okay but you have to admit, James is pretty cute Lilly, and the bloke fancies the pants off you" said Kimmy as she overcame her giggles.
"yea he's attractive but so are a lot of blokes, and nobody fancies the pants off of anybody, speaking of which, I proved you're stupid little theory wrong Jenny!"
"what theory?" she asked me confusedly.
"your theory that James snapped at me cause he was jealous" I said jealous in as scathing a tone as I could muster.
"oh right, so what's your "proof"?" she put proof in air quotes, that slag.
"well not only did he give me a perfectly sound excuse as to why he was angry" she looked like she was about to cut me off so I hurried on to finish "but, when Collin came over to ask me to sit with him at lunch, James was perfectly alright with it and he even was outright friendly to Collin! Trust me, anyone there would have seen he was anything but jealous"
"oh he's James now is he?"
"Potter then! Its just cause of you lot always saying James"
"alright whatever you say Lils, but I still think he could have just been hiding it"
"nobody is that good a liar, Jen, really you should have been there"
"I don't know Lily, he is a marauder after all" came Kimmy's skeptical voice
"whose side are you on anyway?" I said outraged. That traitor.
"hey I never proclaimed a side! I'm merely an observer"
"alright ladies, as much as I love you, it takes time to look this good and I need my beauty sleep, goodnight girlies" and that was Jenny's signal for us to shut out the lights. No problem here, I'd have been asleep already if it weren't for there interrogation.
Kimmy and I mumbled our goodnights and the lights were off. I feel asleep pretty easily that night and I couldn't help but feel better about the fact that Potter and I had worked out our issues.
Authors Note: see, they're not fighting anymore! I hope this format was easier to read this time. Btw cilly is pronounced "kill-ey" not "silly". Please Review! xoxo.
