Steam was rising from the ground of Platform 9 ¾ as students and parents alike were saying their weariest good byes. Lily Evans curiously searched the crowd for Alice Franklin, her best friend. She stood on her toes, hopping on occasion in hopes of catching site of the bubbly brunette soon. As she bounced up and down she saw something that made her heart fall into her stomach, something she did not want to see. Standing maybe ten feet away from her was James Potter, surrounded by his usual fan group. Lily put her head down, pulling her beanie down as to cover her red hair as best she could.
Don't let him see me, don't let him see me. She begged in her mind over and over again as she slipped past him, letting out a large sigh of relief. She continued walking away, blissfully proud of herself when a voice rang over the crowd. "Oi Evans, wait up!" The male voice she had grown to loath called as she muttered curse words under her breath. "So Evans, you got my little letter?" James Potter said coyly as he walked beside her, his hands in her pockets.
"Yup." She said coldly as she placed her luggage in the corner of the platform, beside the rest of the schools.
"What did you think?" He asked with a confident smile.
"You didn't get my reply?" She asked in a nonchalant voice, turning to look at him briefly.
"No, I didn't." He said softly as his eyes danced with anticipation. Lily let out a deep intake of air as she watched his giddy display.
"I burned it." She said coolly as she pushed past him, making her way to a compartment.
"Now come on Evans, why won't you go out with me?" James asked as he trailed her down the hall.
"We've had his talk before, Potter." She said as she continued down the hall, glancing into every compartment quickly.
"I've asked you a million ways, Evans." James said as he grabbed her wrist. "It's 'bout time you changed your answer." He said as he looked deep into her unchanging green eyes.
"Let go of me Potter." She said in a haughty voice. "My answer will stand the same, no matter how you ask." She said as she finally tugged her wrist free, her cheeks beginning to grow red with anger.
"Come on Evans, what's so horrible about me?" James asked as he continued following her, as persistent as ever. "I'm Captain of the Quidditch team, Handsome, one of the top of our class, witty-" James started but Lily cut him off.
"And so modest, don't forget that." Lily said smoothly, her voice dripping with sarcasm. James rolled his eyes as he quickly moved in front of her, placing his hand on the wall and leaning against it.
"I can be Modest if that's what you want." He said as he looked down at her with a tiny smirk.
"Why is it I don't believe you for a second?" Lily asked harshly as she ducked under his arm, walking right past him.
"I dunno, shouldn't you be the one answering that?" James called, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. "What makes me so untrustworthy? What have I done?" James asked pleadingly as he walked up behind him.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Lily asked as she shook her head. "I've had a bad enough week as is, I don't need this right now!" Lily groaned as she continued walking once more, half of her was talking to James, and the other half talking to herself.
"What happened?" James asked in a concerned voice, following her once more.
"None of your business, Potter!" Lily hissed as she stepped into an empty compartment, only to have James catch the door and step inside.
"Well maybe I want it to be my business." James said as he took the seat across from Lily, looking at her intently.
"Get out, Potter!" Lily called in a frustrated voice, trying her best not to cry with the mounting aggravation.
"I don't have to." James stated as he sat back, placing his hands behind his head. "This is as much my compartment as is yours."
"If I wanted to talk to you I'd let you know!" Lily growled as she looked at him angrily.
"Why is it I don't believe you for one second?" James said, the cruel irony smacking Lily in the face.
"Because you're a prat." Lily said as she sat back, rubbing her temples, trying to rid herself of the growing headache.
"Come on Evans, one conversation, just one and I'll leave you alone for the rest of the train ride."
"What do you call this?!"
"An argument."
"That may be but I'm not cursing you am I?"
"Your hands on your wand."
"So?" Lily felt the pressure growing within her; she wanted to curse him to an oblivion, just to make him leave. "Why me? Why do you want me so badly?" Lily asked as she glared at him.
"I don't know, there's just something about you." James stated with a shrug.
"Well there's nothing about you." Lily confessed, trying to make him mad enough to leave.
"There's more then you know." James said as he ran his fingers through his hair, a horrible habit of his.
"Get out." Lily hissed once more, causing James to sigh and stand up.
"I'll be back Evans, but I'll let you cool off first." He said as he opened the door to the compartment, Lily smiled in relief as she laid her head against the back of the seat, her heart rate turning back to normal. Something about him just infuriated her; something about him made her want to jump off a bridge.
"Where the hell are you, Alice?" Lily asked herself as she sat back in her seat. The silence of the room was slightly calming as she placed her backpack on the bench, using it as a pillow. She lay down on the hard wood, trying to find a comfortable position. She closed her eyes as everything drifted from view.
Hours later Lily felt the train jerk, pulling her from her light sleep. She opened her eyes slowly, seeing someone in the seat across from her. She jumped into a sitting position, hitting her head on the window frame on her way up. "Ouch!" She yelled as she rubbed her head, her eyes jammed closed. "Ow ow ow" She said as she rubbed her head, trying to expel the pain.
"You ok, Evans?" The voice called in a concerned way as they rushed forward, wrapping one arm around her. She squinted slightly, looking through her eyelashes to see who was there.
"Potter." She grunted, as she looked at him with one eye open. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?" She snarled as a lump was growing on her head, feeling it throbbing in pain.
"Well, I told you I'd be back!" He said with a smile, one arm still around her.
"Get. Your. Arm. Off. Me." She snarled as he back off slowly, placing his hands up defensively.
"You look like an angel when you're sleeping." He said sincerely as he smirked at her. "Dreaming of me were you?" He asked as she continued having one had on her head and was scowling at him.
"That right there, Potter, is the reason I won't go out with you." Lily said steadily, trying to push the pain back.
"Because you dream of me?" James asked in a smart-alik tone, smirking at her harmlessly.
"No." She said after taking a deep steadying breath, trying her best to force her anger back. "Because you are a arrogant, self-absorbed git." Lily said as she winced in pain, brining her hand off of the bump.
"I was only joking." James said defensively.
"No, you weren't." Lily stated dryly, watching as James narrowed his eyes at her and stood up, making his way towards the door.
"Episkey" James muttered on his way out, his wand quickly pointed at Lily. Suddenly all the pain in her head was gone, allowing her to think clearly once more. She looked around the compartment, her stuff was still the only one's in there. The thought of where Alice was crossed her mind, causing her curiosity to get the best of her. She stood up, making her way down the corridor. She looked in each compartment, finally finding Alice in Frank's Compartment.
"You know, I've been being tortured by Potter, and you're in here snogging Frank!" Lily said in a mocking hurt voice as Alice jumped up and practically tackled Lily.
"Lily where have you been I was looking all over for you." Alice said with a smile on her face.
"Obviously not, I'm three compartments down." She laughed as she looked at Frank Longbottom quickly. "Hey Frank." Lily said with a smile as he waved at her.
"Come on we need to talk. Frank, we'll be back soon." Lily said as she pulled Alice over towards her compartment, sitting her down across from her. "He's doing it again." Lily said in a low voice as Alice rolled her eyes.
"Lily…" She said as Lily looked at her in shock.
"Don't you 'Lily' me! It's driving me crazy already!" Lily said, as there came a knock on the compartment door. Lily peaked through the blinds, noticing it to be James. "You see?" She asked as she pulled the blinds open and motioned towards him.
"Just let him in, Lily." Alice said as she shook her head.
"Oh come off it, Ali-"
"Lily." Alice said in a stern tone. Lily protested as she unlocked the door, slumping back into her chair. James took the seat next to her smiling sweetly. "Don't you have friends to annoy?" Lily asked in a bitter tone as James weighed the options in his mind.
"Mates, Love of my life, Mates…Love of my life…Uh I'd rather be here." James said as Alice let out a short chuckle.
"Come off it." Lily griped as she placed her hand over her eyes.
"Awe, come on Lil's give me a chance, please? I'm not as bad as you think and-"
"Shh!" Lily said as she looked around, listening for the sound.
"What?"
"Shut up!" She yelled as the compartment fell silent. "Do you hear-" Suddenly the train lurched fiercely to the side, causing Lily to fall onto James. Immediately, James wrapped his arms around her protectively. As they all felt the whole train tipping over. Alice let out a long shrill scream as the train was sliding on it's side, explosion's echoing through the corridor.
Lily held onto James, feeling her back hit the other side of the compartment as another explosion occurred. With a bang the window shattered, glass falling all around the three students. Lily cried out as she felt her arm slide across a particularly sharp piece of glass, cutting deeply into her. Tears rolled down her face as she continued clinging to James, not even realizing who it was she was so desperately holding onto. With a horrible jerk and a thundering bang the train came to a crashing halt, hitting into the side of something very big.
Smoked was filling all the rooms as one last explosion occurred on impact. There was a deadly silence among the train, the screams had stopped, the bangs had stopped, and everything had stopped. Lily rested her head against James chest, her tears staining his shirt. She rose her head, looking at James's face. He wasn't moving, and his grip on her had fallen. "James?" She questioned as she looked over at Alice. Alice was crying as she clung onto her knee, a large piece of glass sticking out of it. "James?" She repeated a bit louder as there was no answer.
"James!" She called out as she got off him, shaking his shoulders. "James wake up!" She cried as blood was pouring down from a cut on his head. "James, it's me Lily, open your eyes!" She yelled as she gently slapped his cheek. "Alice! James's isn't waking up!" Lily cried as she looked over at Alice. Alice had pulled the glass out of her leg, wincing as she covered her wound with her hand.
"Oh Merlin, Frank!" She yelled as she opened the compartment door that was now the floor. She jumped down, letting out a quick scream as the pain surged through her leg. Smoke began filling the compartment more rapidly now that the door was open. Lily could hear coughing and crying from outside, causing her to wince. She looked down, seeing people now in the corridor.
"Everyone!" She yelled as she looked down at them. "I'm a prefect! And I'm ordering you to get off as quickly as possible!" She yelled as the children looked around with a fearful expression. She turned back to James, pulling out her wand. "Enneverta!" She said as James's eyes shot open.
"Lily!" he yelled as he looked at her. "Are you alright, your aren't hurt are you?" He asked as he turned over, coughing into the ground.
"We have to get off the train!" Lily said as she stood up, "can you walk?" She asked as she looked through the hole in the floor.
"I think." James said as he struggled to get up, pain corsing through his leg. "I'll lower you out." James said as he took hold of her hands.
"Don't be stupid James, your leg it broken!" Lily said in a frustrated voice.
"I don't care Lily! There could be another explosion any second!" James yelled, pain in his eyes. Lily nodded; knowing he was right and the time they spent arguing was wasting the time to get out. James grabbed onto Lily's arm, holding onto the wall as he noticed that the wall from the other compartments had collapsed, leaving the bottom wall the only thing able to walk on. He lowered her as far as he could, allowing her to drop the extra foot.
"Come on James hurry!" Lily said as James hoped out, landing on his good leg. James grunted loudly as Lily wrapped one of her arms around his middle, making him lean on her. "Your crazy you know that?" She shouted at him, fear etched onto her face.
"So you've said." He stated as he leaned against her, limping out of the train. He winced with every step, biting his lip to force back his shouts. Finally they came to the end of the train, ducking to get through the back door. The sky outside was filled with smoke and the cries of children as Lily looked around, tears rolling down her face.
"Everyone stay calm!" the Head Boy yelled, his face bloody and bruised.
"My sisters still on the train!" A boy yelled as he rushed forward making his way towards the door.
"Stop!" A voice yelled to the third year, running over to him. "What compartment is she in?" The man asked, quickly, Lily noticed him to be Remus Lupin.
"Number twenty three." The boy cried, looking about twelve or thirteen.
"I'll be right back." Remus said as he pet his shoulder, bolting back inside the train. Lily set James down on a rock, ripping his pant leg away from his wounded leg. She gasped as she looked at it, noticing it to be bent at a very odd angle.
"Ferula" Lily said quickly, causing a splint and bandages to appear. She looked at James sympathetically as he bit on his lip. "This is going to hurt." She said as she took hold of both sides of his leg. "One…Two Three!" She said as she pushed the leg back into a straight position, causing James to shout a rather loud curse word. Lily put the splint on his leg, wrapping the bandages around it.
"Why are you helping me?" He asked as pushed back the tears, looking at her slightly confused. Hours ago she had been swearing up and down she hated him, not she was fixing his leg.
"If it wasn't for you." She said as she stood up. "I'd be the one needing the splint." Lily looked at the ground with guilt covering her face. It was true, if James hadn't broken her fall; she would have been the one knocked out. "I'll be back." She said as she turned to walk away. James grabbed her hand, looking at her wide-eyed.
"Thanks." He said as he watched the tears roll down from her eyes.
"Don't mention it." She said as she moved from student to student, healing their wounds and splintting their broken limbs. Still the question buzzed in her mind with every step, what had just happened?