Humiliation and History
"Come on, give it a try," I said, trying not to laugh.
"I told you I'm terrible at this," said Lily, trying to keep her balance.
It was early December in my third year at Hogwarts and a Hogsmeade weekend. I somehow managed to talk Lily into going ice-skating with me on a nearby pond and, well, I could say with confidence that I have never seen her as graceful as she was then.
"Careful" I said, catching her as she tripped. Naturally, she glared at me.
"I'm standing in knifes, on a two inch layer of ice, above very deep cold water because you" she pushed me slightly "made me. And now you are telling me to be careful?"
I pretended to think about it, enjoying every second of seeing her face reddening. "Um… yes" I eventually said, not able to resist a smirk.
She gaped at me and blinked a few times in silence, while my smile was widening.
After a moment I asked: "What?"
She continued to stare at me silently for a few seconds before answering slowly. "I can't believe I'm still standing here, taking this torture for you, while you're laughing at me". She turned to leave and slipped again, this time taking me with her.
I was the one gaping in disbelieve this time, but Lily wasn't just smirking. She burst out laughing.
I turned on my side slightly and stared at her. "What is so funny?" She seemed incapable of putting two words together for laughing. After a moment she stopped laughing but couldn't keep a smile off her face as she replied.
"I hate skating. And here I am, falling on my butt for the one-hundredth time today, for you, the alternative being a date with the cutest Hufflepuff in Hogwarts".
"You know you'd rather hang out with me," I teased, poking her side.
"I know I would," she said, looking quite serious. "Annoying you is much more fun". I rolled my eyes at her avoidance of letting things get serious. "But you should feel honored" she added with a fake note of self-importance to her voice.
"And why is that?" I asked, waiting for a smart-ass answer.
"I would never do anything I don't want to do for anyone besides you".
During the first two weeks of my seventh year, I would dream of that day every night. I was partly pleased about that. Happy because I knew I meant something to her and sad because I didn't mean anything to her anymore. I was now just head-boy, some guy she had to work with.
But the fact that she was still ice-skating was definitely an encouraging start. She still didn't like it, but she still skated. I hoped more than thought that in her subconscious there was still at least a vague memory of me.
I was sitting at the Gryffindor table, watching discreetly as Lily argued with Appleby at the Ravenclaw table. I could barely make out their voices. Who argues so quietly anyway?
"… I told the others all of us are hanging out today. That's supposed to include you" Appleby was saying, with an annoyed tone to his voice.
"I am coming today, I'll just be a little late. You know I skate at least an hour every day" replied Lily sounding determined.
"I don't get why. You don't even like skating".
"But it's important to me". Lily sounded despaired; it was obvious she was trying very hard to make him understand. "I feel like every day I don't skate is a day unfulfilled".
Appleby shook his head and sighed. "Whatever makes you happy, flower" he eventually said, smiling at her and she smiled back.
Seeing them smiling at each other made me feel so jealous, it was like a poisonous knife was stuck in my stomach, spreading pain rapidly throughout my body. It didn't help that when they both got up to leave, Appleby kissed Lily's cheek and put his arm around her shoulders.
"That's the only thing they ever fight about"
I jumped at the unexpected voice and turned to see Adams sitting next to me, staring at Appleby and Lily thoughtfully.
"Ice skating," she added, "That's all they ever fight about. Logan doesn't like the fact that she skates, don't ask me why".
I turned just in time to see Appleby bump into Sirius accidentally. For some reason, Sirius grinned and began talking to Appleby and Lily. It would seem that he was just being friendly, but I knew he was up to something. His grin seemed more mischievous than joyful.
After a moment, I noticed Appleby tense and he held Lily more tightly. Whatever Sirius said had really got to him.
Sirius stopped talking, gave Lily a more genuine smile and walked away. Appleby just stood there for a moment, seemingly frozen, ignoring whatever Lily was saying, or (according to the puzzled expression on her face) asking.
I turned to look at Sirius as Appleby and Lily finally left the great hall. He was sitting down across from me, smirking triumphantly.
"What was that about?" I asked, looking at Sirius suspiciously.
"Oh, just a few casual remarks between enemies" replied Sirius, still smirking.
"Such as?" I asked, wide-eyed from curiosity.
"You know, a few comments on weather, schoolwork" said Sirius casually and then added in a self-satisfied tone of voice: "Memory charms and truth serums".
We both sniggered evilly while Adams stayed silent, watching us.
"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves" she said after a moment in a strangled voice "But comments won't get us anywhere. We need to find a solution".
I stopped laughing and sighed. I have searched the library top to bottom for the previous two weeks and found nothing. I even talked professor Slughorn into signing a long list of books in the restricted section, although he refused point blank to let me have any access to any Dark Arts related books. No idea why he was so bothered by it.
There was much information on memory charms. Volumes of Jinxes and hexes and potions to make you lose your memory but not one sentence on how to get it back. It seemed like I needed to manhandle a highly qualified healer to get any sort of information on the subject.
There was this one potion that seemed promising. It was an antidote to a specific kind of forgetfulness hex and could become addicting if used without need, but it was all I had. So, looking up the symptoms of the forgetfulness hex to make sure I wasn't dooming Lily to a rehab center for life, I had begun formulating a plan to get close to Lily without Appleby noticing.
One prefects meeting was sufficient. Since Appleby wasn't a Ravenclaw prefect, he wasn't around to mess things up. I had a few opportunities to check up the three symptoms.
When Lily turned to ask me a question, I was momentarily dazzled by her striking green eyes but managed to regain concentration and focus on the task at hand.
First symptom: Fogged eyes.
Her eyes were the same as they ever were besides two differences: the permanent laughing spark I remembered so clearly wasn't there and there was a shade of uncertainty.
Unfortunately, from my concentration on searching Lily's eyes, I didn't pay attention to the actual person and missed the question she asked me, which resulted in the abrupt presence of an annoyed Lily for the rest of the meeting.
She always used to say I was the most frustrating breathing ensemble of organs she ever met.
When she bent slightly to write something down, I was able to search for the next symptom. I had to take control of my thoughts before they led me away from my intended purpose, though.
Second symptom: Red circles on chest.
As Lily wasn't wearing a very low-cut top, I had to bend slightly myself to see anything. Fate was against me once more as Lily raised her head at that moment and saw me trying to look down her blouse. Obviously, that didn't go over well and I noticed her hand clutching the paper she was writing on, clearly trying to restrain herself from activating some form of physical violence on me.
As she turned away from me to say something to the prefects with a slightly more forceful voice than usual, I discreetly angled my face to get a good look of her legs. To check for the next symptom of course.
Third symptom: Pointy bones at the back of the right knee.
Lily was standing slightly turned towards me, so I had to turn my head to get a better look. But the movement caught Lily's attention and she glared at me, obviously thinking I was checking out her legs.
So not only did Lily think I'm a pervert, she didn't have any of the symptoms. I was back in square one. Well, at least the prefects were amused
I believe in miracles.
It was a History of Magic lesson and Binns was being his usual oblivious self, drawling on about Goblin revolutions as background knowledge for some project. I wasn't really listening as he paired students randomly. I was just pondering about what a draw back it would be if Appleby and Lily were paired together when Lily sat down next to me.
I stared at her for a few seconds in amazement until she raised an eyebrow at me, looking amused. "You're sitting… here?" I asked, shocked that she would be within a five-yard radius of me after the disastrous prefect meeting.
"Weren't you listening?" she asked, smirking slightly "We were paired together".
I managed to contain a simpleton-like grin and just pulled a smirk similar to hers. "You don't mind?"
She looked at me up and down, as though considering me and for a moment I could make out a shadow of her old self as she smiled at me mischievously. "I think I can handle being partnered with a pervert," she said playfully.
"Listen, about the meeting…" I began saying awkwardly, but she cut me off.
"It's ok, forget about it," she said seriously, opening the History book at the intended chapter. She looked up from the book and smiled warmly at me. "At least now I know you're weird enough for my taste".
I smiled as she flicked through the pages. She still had the same sense of humor. Maybe getting her memory back wasn't such a lost cause after all. Though judging by the look on Appleby's face as Lily and I bent closer to the book (and, as a result, closer to each other), there were going to be obstacles.
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AN: Hey readers! (Oh readers, my readers…)
Well… News – I've updated (as you've most likely deducted and if you haven't… well… coughs nervously and inching towards door to get away from psychos with a twisted sense of reality.
I know, I'm the weird one… as the beginning of the author's note above implies…
Anyway. I've updated (not getting into aforementioned beginning of author's note), but I need incentives guys whines at own laziness. Please, tell me what you think of this fic. Basically, I'm begging you to review since I'm getting disheartened because of the lack of positive feedback I've been getting (for my other story as well, but this isn't a hint :-) ).
This note doesn't matter much, I just feel depressed (ish) because the vacation is almost over and then I have a test in French and in math… :-(
It's sad to say that my author notes are my only form of entertainment. Which is why I'm not saying it, I'm writing it.
See (more like 'write to') you later, guys (and girls).
P.S. – any spelling mistakes are to be ignored, as I am dreadfully tired at six thirty in the evening (afternoon?). Must be the lazy depressed mood…