Hi there. So I'm going to stay by the door and you're going to stand away from the pitchforks. Deal? I thought so.
So yep another really overdue update but better then none at all right?
This chapter was going to happen completely differently but I decided that it would be too much too quickly the other way. So sit back and enjoy the next section of our journey.
"Where do you think you're going?" He drawled out from his bed, where he laying and flipping through a quidditch magazine.
"To study for charms, finish my transfiguration essay, and hopefully get some sleep tonight," she replied tiredly, but with some pent up frustration leaking out.
"No, you're not. I'm getting a little thirsty. Hey, any of you guys thirsty?"
"A wee bit Prongsie, a wee bit," Sirius answered, a grin on his face.
"What about you, Wormtail?"
"Oh yeah!" Peter squeaked
"Moony?"
"Do you think I care about your various ways of torturing her?"
"No, but do you want a drink or not?"
"Sure, why not?"
James turned to Lily. "Come here girl. Closer, closer. Aw, come on I am not going to bite you!"
Lily and snorted and murmured something suspiciously close to, "I highly doubt that," and took a few more steps forward.
"Now listen carefully, 'cause I don't want to repeat myself. You are going to get some flu powder, go to the Study in the Potter Mansion, and get four bottles of firewhiskey. You are then to come straight back here. Got it?"
"What if your parents are home? What if-"
"Padfoot, what's today?" James asked cutting into Lily's worries.
"Uhhhh," Sirius started, scratching his head. "The 19th, I think."
"Damn, my mom is," James muttered before, getting up to pace the floor. Lily stood there apprehensively, waiting fro James to stop that damn pacing. Finally he stopped and snapped his fingers, and exclaimed, "I've got it!"
"Congratulations, do want an award with that?" Lily asked sarcastically, ignoring Sirius' laughter and James glare.
"You are going to pose as my girlfriend of late. We are having a small party at school and we are bringing the drinks. Got it?"
"Do you think your mum will actually believe that?"
"I think she's been surprised I haven't brought home a girl sooner. Now we'll have to fix you up a little bit, and they'll believe anything."
"I guess I am doing this whether or not I like it. Are you coming with me?"
"Um, yeah?"
"All right! Just checking."
"Moony, work your magic."
Remus slowly slid off the bed and casually walked around her twice in a full circle. Lily was blushing by the time he was done, circling her. Everything these boys did made her feel uncomfortable.
"Close your eyes," he told her gently, and raised his wand.
"Why?"
"Because it's easier," he answered her tiredly.
"I still don't see how it helps!" she grumbled to herself.
"Just don't try anything or you will find yourself hexed into the next century," she warned him. He nodded and she closed her eyes. She heard some muttering coming from him but otherwise everything was silent. She shifted her weight on her already pounding feet. She wished she could just sit down for five minutes.
"Done, go take a look."
Lily jerked out of her dream state, and shuffled her way over to the mirror in their dorm. She still looked like Lily, but a newer, better Lily. Her hair was fuller and shinier, and had that haircut she wanted but couldn't afford because of the cost of textbooks these days. Her robes were repaired and looked like they came straight out of Madame Malkin's. She had lost the bags under her eyes and to her joy, the small amount of pimples that dotted her face. She was good enough to be in the world of James Potter.
"All right, I'm ready," she announced turning to face the boys. She stopped and her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion when she noticed they were all gaping at her.
"What? He didn't do something that I can't see, did he?"
"Nope, nothing, he did nothing of the sort," Sirius answered quickly, snapping his jaw shut. He then elbowed James who recovered and gained his cocky, 'does-it-look-like-I-care-what-you're-saying-and/or-doing' look and stance back.
"Finally ready, Red?"
"Yeah," she answered dully.
"What?"
"Yeah."
"Yes."
"Yeah."
"Yes."
"Whatever!"
"Fine, but if you act that way around my mother, you're cleaning the Gryffindor quidditch changing rooms!"
"All right!"
"Fine!" he shouted back, glaring at her for a minute. He broke their staring contest to root under his be, coming up with a small drawstring packet. They left the room and the tense atmosphere seemed to flow with them, like a black cloud over just their heads and no one else's. When they got to the fireplace, he handed her some of the white powder that was in the bag.
"Flu powder, duh!" Lily thought to herself. She took it silently, waiting for further instruction before moving.
"The family study of Potter mansion," he said gruffly before throwing in his powder, stepping in and being whisked away. Lily paused before stepping in. Did she really want to do this? Or more correctly, did she have a choice? Sighing, she stepped in the fireplace, shouted her destination and was sucked away to her destination.
She tripped getting out of the ornate fireplace, but was caught by James.
"Sorry," she muttered, bright red. He grumbled something then turned away. Lily looked around the study. It would be her typical place to come on a rainy day. Loads of books and soft, plumpy, sink-into chairs were the main focus of the room.
"So where's the firewhiskey?"
"In the cabinet by the sofa."
"Which sofa?"
"The black one."
"Positive?"
James gave her an exasperated look. "I do live here you know. Now go get it!"
Lily quietly walked over to the small cabinet and pulled out four small-ish looking bottles of firewhiskey. The then silently tiptoed back to James and whispered, "Let's go."
"I give the commands here Red, not you!" James whispered viciously. Lily rolled her eyes, but nodded.
"Now, let's go."
"Yeah, but one more question."
"What?!" he nearly shouted, completely fed up with this tiny girl.
"What's that noise?"
He listened carefully.
"Crap, crap, crap, and a whole other load of crap!" he muttered. "Listen Red, put down those bottles of firewhiskey and just do what I'm doing and whatever happens, do not hit me, punch me, or kick me. Got it?"
Lily barely had the word yes coming out of her mouth before James pushed her into the wall and began kissing her. She went to go push him away but remembered her instructions and with held that reaction. She instead found herself kissing him back. One of his hands went to her lower back and the other went to the wall while her hands went to his shoulder and hair. She should get all she could out of it. He was not the called the best kisser in Hogwarts for nothing.
"James Potter! What on earth are you doing with that poor girl?!"
Lily distantly heard a voice shriek distantly. She felt James break the kiss.
"Hello to you too mum. How have you been doing?"
Lily felt herself blush bright red. She had faintly hoped that it would have been one of the maids.
"Who is this?!"
"Mother, I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Lily." He took her arm and led her forward.
"Hello Mrs. Potter, it's a pleasure to meet you," Lily smiled; well at least she hoped she did. Grimacing at James Potter's mother was probably not the best way to get out of the servitude thing.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming? It's actually good that you came darling. We're having a small party for your father's business associates and magically, your father was called away for business. I desperately need help entertaining them dear. You know I'm not in the know about your father's business. You can bring your girlfriend along. I'll find her something to wear that's appropriate. Well, chop to it!"
"Mum, Lily and I have a big test coming up soon and Lily really wanted to study tonight. She hates doing poorly on tests. Don't you hon?"
Lily nodded and managed to say, "Yes."
"Well, I suppose in pursuit of academics. Wait a second. If she wanted to study then what are you doing here?"
James looked flustered. He obviously hadn't anticipated so many questions.
"Well," Lily began. Two sets of eyes darted towards her. "James wanted something other then water to drink and was intending to go to the kitchen but seeing as it was after hours I wouldn't let him go. No sense in getting detention on the night before a weekend, I said. He would not deter, so I asked him if there was somewhere he could get it where wouldn't get in trouble for it. He suggested here. I'm sorry if it's caused any trouble for you."
"Oh nonsense dearie. I'm just glad you were able to keep James out of trouble. I always had trouble with that. What's your secret?"
"Oh, I just have my ways. Us women have to have some secrets don't we?"
"Ha-ha-ha! You are so quaint dearie. You must come visit me someday you don't have to study."
"I will Mrs. Potter. Have a lovely evening."
"Bye Mum."
"Bye James dear. Keep an eye on this one."
"Mum!"
"What? Just speaking my opinion on the matter!"
"Come on Lily we're going now."
"Goodbye dears!" Mrs. Potter called, as she flitted to rejoin her party. As soon as she was gone James forcefully grabbed Lily's arm and dragged her over to the fireplace.
"Get going. I'll be coming right after you so make sure to get out of the way. Lily nodded as he all but shoved her into the fireplace.
As she stumbled out of the fireplace she distantly heard James roar into the fireplace behind her. She took a few deep breaths then turned to face him. He was leaning on the mantle, staring into the small fire.
"What did I do now?"
His body stiffened, but he remained silent.
"I asked you what I did now?!"
"Silence! I will be asking the questions girl!"
"Oh so you're a man and I'm merely a girl!"
"I never said that!"
"But you insinuated it!"
"NO! I am insinuating that you should not be talking to me like that!"
"And why not!"
He whirled to face her, stalking towards her. "Because you are nobody! You are nothing! You are poor scholarship student who has no right to act any better then you are! My mother now expects you to be in my company whenever I go home! Do you know what that means?! DO you?! She expects you to be girl of money, high standing! When she finds out that you aren't my life goes to hell! DO you know what will happen to you if that happens to me?!"
Lily just stared, horrified at what was happening. She felt her lips tighten in an effort not to show any emotion or words.
"DO YOU KNOW?!" he shouted in her face, his own red in his anger.
With a burst of confidence lily didn't know was in her she shouted back with all her might, "I DON"T CARE! I DON'T CARE IF YOUR FRIENDS LAUGH AT YOU! I DON'T CARE IF YOUR PRECIOUS REPUTATION IS RUINED! I DON'T GIVE A CARE ABOUT YOU JAMES POTTER! YOU CAN GO ROT IN HELL!"
A resounding smack rang through the room. Lily stared astonished, her hand lightly touching her red cheek. James had gone pale after he had slapped her, deathly pale. With wide eyes she looked at her hand then at his and finally drew her eyes up to his. They were, large and fearful, like a doe's.
"Lily……I," James trailed off. What could you say after slapping someone?
"James, I think it would be for the best if I just come clean and we go our separate ways," Lily told him slowly her eyes not meeting his.
"Lily," he begged.
"I'm sorry I didn't please you sir," she said quietly, putting down the bottles of fire-whiskey, the things that had started it all, and walked to the stairs and out of sight.
For a minute James just stood there, listening to the flames crackle and processing what had happened. He walked over to the window and stared out. With a sudden burst of anger he punched the wall beside the window, then nursing his throbbing hand sank down beneath the window.
Whoa-ho-ho! A lot to process there lovelies. Before any of you go and review "That isn't how James would act," I will remind you, this story is alternate universe. Also I am not going overboard here. This is a different way of how James got Lily and Lily tamed James. I am merely pulling on the anger within James. Just because he didn't become all soft and lovey-dovey in the second chapter doesn't mean he won't so CHILLAX!
Cookies and Cranberry-Pomegranate juice to those who review!