Disclaimer: See first chapter
Chapter 4 -The Hospital Wing, the Lake and the Bimbos
James stirred as he awoke from his slumber.
Blinking to clear away the grogginess, he yawned widely, and then winced as his jaw ached from the impact.
"Think he's awake yet?"
A blur blob appeared at the corner of James's vision.
"Well, obviously! Honestly, for someone who is supposedly smart, you sure are stupid. Guess the rumours about you having only the looks were true," rambled another blob, which had popped up.
"Shut up. Hey look! He's blinking! Wonder why he's squinting?"
"Honestly! Hand him his glasses!"
Blob No.2 appeared to be rolling his eyes at Blob No.1 again.
A pair of glasses suddenly loomed into view, and as they settled on James's nose, the blobs cleared to form the grinning figures of Sirius and Remus.
"Hey mate, Wormtail's sorry he isn't here, but McGonagall held him back for not finishing his assignment."
James grunted noncommittally.
Remus sighed. "James, I know your overlarge ego has been hurt rather badly, but you did provoke Lily. Everyone snaps at some point, you know. You just pushed Lily too far this time. It would have been only a matter of time before she pushed back."
Feeling rather miffed and betrayed, James glared at the werewolf.
"Oh yeah? Why are you defending her anyway? If you love her so much, go away and marry her!"
Sirius stifled a laugh as Remus rolled his eyes at James's comment.
"Very mature Prongs, I can see why the ladies fall over themselves for you."
Sirius made a choking sound and muffled his face with his cloak.
"Go away! Leave me alone. Don't you have books to snog? Teachers to take on dates?"
Sirius appeared to be hyperventilating in his robes.
"Honestly Prongs, you hurt the girl, you insult her, you provoke, and now you get beaten up by her. Seems pretty fair, don't you think?"
"He has a point you know," said a seemingly sedated Sirius, who had finally surfaced for air. "A penny for a penny they say."
"Who says?" asked a suspicious Remus.
"Your face."
"I am wounded. Your retort was caustic. I am dying, asthewerewolfwould die from silver."
James groaned. The currently bickering pair's argument was giving him a major headache.
Plus the fact that his back was starting to hurt from being stuck in one position for too time.
"Uh guys? Help me out here? My back's starting to hurt. Could you shift me someplace more comfy?"
"Oh! That reminds me! I can't believe I forgot to ask. How inconsiderate of me. When are you being discharged? Did Madame Pomphrey say how much more treatment you needed?How's your back?How does it feel like being in a full body cast?"
Sirius burst out into hysterical laughter again as James flushed.
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Lily hummed as she skipped rocks on the surface of the Lake.
Hair braided and swaying in the wind, and glasses left in the Tower, she looked more alive than she had in weeks. With no one around, all the rest of them being in classes, she had no need to keep up with appearances.
Having a lot to think about in the previous days, as the teachers had given her the week off because of her magical energy drain, she realised a few things about her feud with Potter.
While seemingly pointless, it was the only thing that kept her alive.
His comments and actions made her fury rise to devastating heights, but if he didn't provoke her, she would have been just a shell.
Empty, emotionless; a robot programmed to carry out the day's duties.
So in a terrifying way, James Potter, arch nemesis, was being the typical Gryffindor knight, and she was the damsel weeping by the window in distress.
She broke out of her musings as heavy footsteps sounded behind her.
Whirling around, she sighed in relief as she spotted Remus Lupin making his way towards her.
Being magically inept at the moment, she had no means to protect herself other than her fast thinking skills, and her surroundings.
She lightly smiled as Remus jumped over a branch to join her.
Out of all of the Gryffindors, he was the one that she got along with the most.
Understanding her need to prove herself in the magical world, he would often help her with her research in homework, and they felt free to voice their opinions to each other on topics other students would have found droll.
"Lily."
"Remus."
But Lily didn't let him get close. He was just an acquaintance. Nothing more nothing less, and he knew it.
They stood in companiable silence, watching the Squid rise and dip into the water.
Besides, like anyone would have wanted to be friends with her. She was destined to be alone for life.
"Professor McGonagall's asking for you." Said Remus, breaking her train of thought.
"What for?"
"I don't know. She didn't say. She just asked, that if you were free, to come and see her."
Lily frowned. She had never been in trouble before, so she wasn't sure what McGonagall wanted.
"Alright, lead the way."
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"Ms Evans, I'm happy that you could come." Professor McGonagall held the door to her office open and ushered Lily in.
"Thank you Mr. Lupin, you may go now. Do not forget to remind Mr. Pettigrew that he needs to hand in his homework tomorrow, complete preferably."
As she closed the door, she turned to Lily.
"Well, Ms Evans, I am in a bit of a predicament at the moment. You see, we have had a student transfer her from the Salem Witches Institute, and needed someone trustworthy to guide her through her first days. Naturally, I picked you. Would it be alright?"
Lily flushed at the praise that the Professor had thrown towards her. Before she could process it, she found herself nodding her head in acceptance.
"Excellent. I knew I could count on you. I would have asked the other ladies, but - "
A grimace graced the Professor's face.
Lily swallowed a giggle with difficulty. An apologetic look graced McGonagall's face.
But as she opened her mouth, a knock on the door interrupted her.
"That must be her right now. Come in!"
A delicate, plump girl with a round forgetful face edged her way into the room, and turned to Lily with a shy smile.
"Ms. Lily Evans, I'd like you tosay hello to Ms. Alice Shardon."
Lily grasped the girl's hand and smiled.
Maybe she wouldn't have to be lonely anymore after all.
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Lily spent the rest of the day acquainting Alice with Hogwarts.
From the Lake, to the Greenhouses, to the classrooms, to the hidden stairways, Alice became familiar with every nook and cranny of the old, creaking castle.
But all good things must eventually come to an end.
When they were leisurely strolling down the corridors, they ran into the rest of the Gryffindor Fourth Year Girls.
Tamara Jelcic, Linda Jole and Rachael Richards, the little gang who looked upon Lily as though she was the bane of their existence.
All this was spewed from the result of a fight in First Year.
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Flashback
"EVANS! STOP OGLING MY BOYFRIEND!"
Lily sat up astonished as Tamara stomped through the Portrait Hole.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me! Pablo said like, he totally was like cool with me, but he couldn't take the fact that you were always staring at him. I mean, what's your problem?"
"Problem? I see no problem. You're obviously so shallow you believe the lies that that lowlife was spouting. He's just trying to get back at me because I ratted him out to a teacher. I mean, come on! Me? Ogle at boys?"
Lily was sick and tired of Pablo Zabini, resident hottie, always putting her down. A true Slytherin to the core, he must have just found a way to break up with Tamara, while placing the blame on someone he absolutely hated.
Lily thought that it would be kind to point that out to Tamara. The latter obviously didn't think so.
"Oh honestly, he was just using you to get to your older sister anyway.
Tamara flared up.
"Excuse me? Are you saying that I'm like, not good enough for him? That I'm just some poor substitute? I'm tired of your know-it-all attitude. From this moment onwards, we are through being friends Lily Evans."
And as Tamara stalked away, Lily got a sinking feeling that she was going to live to regret this.
She didn't mind that they weren't friends anymore, but there was the fact that Tamara had connections everywhere.
End Flashback
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And regret it she did.
All blonde, preppy and gorgeous,Tamara and her clonesruled the lower year girls with blackmail and threats, and yet, continued to be the most sought after girls in the school, right alongside the older years.
Spreading lies about Lily, they had practically destroyed any form of social life that Lily had.
Anyone seen with Lily would have scandalous rumours popping up about him or her within the week.
When she couldn't take it anymore, Lily closed herself off from everyone around her.
"Where are you going Evans?"
Lily stiffened and glowered at them.
"Oh! She was just showing me around!" piped up Alice from behind Lily.
The girls were immediately taken in with Alice's wide forget-me-not blue eyes, and strawberry blonde hair. Plus the fact that she was wearing designer shoes, they practically pounced on her.
From the minute they heard Alice's name, and it tured out that the Shardons were one of the most popular and ancient pureblood lines in the Wizarding World, the trio started practically groveling at her feet. Clasping her hands from both sides, Alice got dragged across the courtyard as the rest chattered nineteen to a dozen in her ears.
Quietly, Lily slipped away, and continued her walk across the courtyard.
She smiled ruefully and shook her head. She knew that it had been too good to be true.
As though anyone would have wanted to be friends with plain, old Lily Evans.
Even kind, sweet Alice had floated off with the other girls once she realised that they were more interesting than Lily.
"Lily! LILY! Wait up!"
Amazed, Lily turned back to see Alice puffing as she jogged to catch up with Lily's fast pace.
"I say! Why didja go and leave me with the Airhead Trio? Did I something honestly terrible to you?" Alice's eyes danced with laughter. "If you wanted to get rid of me so bad, you could have just told me!"
Lily couldn't help it. She giggled.
Sometimes, she reflected, as Alice linked arms with her and they ran across towards the lake to evade the bimbos, life makes up for the bad things handed to you with a ray of sunshine.
TBC...
Next up in CoM...
James talks to Lily
Alice meets Frank
And oh la la, a prank?
A/N: Ok, that has been a long time since I've last updated. BUT IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY ON THE 26TH! So I promised myself that I was going to update soon. I'm not happy with this chapter at all, as it seems very shallow to me. So, I'm working twice as hard on the next one. By the way, I have to say... OH MY GOODNESS! 110 REVIEWS! I asked for 60, and I got 110! I nearly passed out from shock! So, yeah, thanks for being wonderful reviwers. Over and out.
Crazy bout Remmy
P.s. To the person who sent me an email an anyone else who is interested, I'd be happy to take you up on the offer on fanart. My email can be found in my profile.