SO SORRY for being SO late, but yet again, the public schools fail us.
Thank you, also, for the reviews!
Oh, and no, I am no, I am not Australian… Though that would be really cool…
Severus did not join in with the collective chatter of the ball. It was petty, trivial, a shameful way to try and cover up the terror that was going on outside the walls of Hogwarts. Dumbledore was acting a fool.
He also noted the drop of tension between James Potter and Lily. She didn't yell as much, or, now that he thought about it, at all. She didn't flee whenever he tried to approach her in the halls. Sometimes, she even laughed at his jokes.
He solemnly remembered when Lily laughed with him. When he was her best friend, not some spoiled boy who thinks the world should be handed to him on a silver platter. James Potter surely hadn't memorized the flecks in Lily's eyes. James Potter never counted the freckles on her cheeks. James Potter couldn't notice that Lily always has her hair tucked behind her right ear, though never her left. James Potter would hear Lily's laugh like bells.
The Quidditch Hero, the Gryffindor Gambler, the Marauder. If Lily were to join him, she would welt. James Potter would ruin her. She would become James Potter's Item. She would be a target of the Dark Lord. Severus could never let that happen, not to Lily. Not to his friend.
It was this reason that Severus stole set of black dress robes from Hogsmeade, not for any dance. Simply, for one of the dancers.
Lily poured over her Astrology Charts, and shaded in the dark shadow's of the moon on the calendar she had been assigned for homework. First, all black, little moon. Then, three quarters black. Then, half black. Then, a quarter black. Then, a sliver black. Then, a full moon. Lily had never found use of this knowledge, but the Astrology class looked decent on job applications.
Lily bit her lip. She wouldn't be applying for jobs, would she? The Order would require full time commitment, if she were to fight on the front lines. And, if she were to fight, having an outside job would be too dangerous. Learning at Hogwarts wasn't for finding a job anymore. It was for teaching her how to survive.
She thought of Potter, as well. If she joined the Order, she would be working side-by-side with him. For one reason or another, the thought didn't bring up a sensation of dread, like it should. Was she becoming tolerant of Potter?
She quickly finished her work and shoved it into her bag, and promptly left the Common Room.
James watched Remus sit with Adelaide in one of the bench's in the library. It was cold, but neither of them seemed to notice. Remus would point at something in the room, recount a tale or two, and Adelaide would erupt in laughter. Remus was flushed with pleasure.
James leaned back on his hands, sitting at a separate table with Sirius and Peter, while Sirius was trying to give Peter some sort of dating advice, though James wasn't listening.
He wondered if he and Lily would ever be like Remus and Adelaide. Blissfully happy with each other's company. Lily would never let her guard down, or her hatred of James would never be quashed enough to replace them with feelings of affection. It was simply unrealistic.
He shook the thoughts out of his head, reminding himself that the Ball was a nice place to start. He counted visualizing the exact shape and shades of Lily's eyes.
"You see, Wormtail, it's all about the delivery…"
James was outside of the Gryffindor Common Room, near the Fat Lady, waiting for Lily, yet again.
"Evans, since we're both Heads, I think it would be fun if… No, that's not right," he practiced hastily.
"You know, since Remus and Adelaide will probably go together, I thought it would be nice if… That's just stupid…" He mentally slapped himself for the umpteenth time.
"I like the fourth one," The Fat Lady observed from her portrait.
"'It would be my honor to take you to the ball?'" James quoted himself. "But that's like I'm assuming she'll say yes!"
The Fat Lady shrugged. "I think it's chivalrous."
"I think you're a picture that hasn't had a date in hundreds of years!"
"Excuse me?"
"Sorry…"
The Fat Lady huffed and walked into the portrait next to her. James turned away, and continued to practice.
"Evans, I -"
"What?"
James spun around. Of course, Evans was there, tapping her foot, waiting for him.
"Well, what?" She asked sharply.
His brain was having a tiny meltdown.
"Potter?"
"I am glad to see you decided to show up for our patrol," he sputtered out. "I always seem to be here before you, which is simply bizarre."
She rolled her eyes. "Mary always needs help in Charms."
James nodded. "Flitwick has never liked me, do you think it was the time we accidentally transformed his stand into snakes? Or the next time, when we did it on purpose…" James trailed off in mock thought.
Lily laughed. James had that surge of hope that came every time he made her laugh. It was like drinking firewhiskey.
"That might be it," Lily said, starting down the corridor. James jogged after her.
"Did you finish the Occlumency homework?" James asked, in efforts to keep up the conversation. "Professor Bloom is bonkers, I think."
Lily smiled. "I always write in something that sounds like it has some sort of prophecy, and see what he does with it."
"Evans?" He gasped, putting his hand on his chest. "Cheating in a class? Who are you?"
Lily shook her head. "There is no way Occlumency counts as a class."
James snorted. "I think I've gotten more sleep in that class than I have at night."
Lily sighed. "How can you pass your OWL's?"
James grinned jokingly. "I seduce the examiners."
Lily laughed, more loudly this time.
"Evans?"
"Hm?"
"Do you want to go to the ball with me?"
There was a terrible moment, a dreadful spread of silence. James hadn't meant for it to slip out, so bluntly or at all. She was laughing, they were being friendly, and it seemed perfect.
"What?" She stopped walking, and half – turned to look at James.
"Er – the ball," James sputtered. "Everyone's going, you know, and I thought – never mind – I'm pushing it - "
"Sure," Lily said, and she kept walking.
James's jaw dropped. "Sure?" Lily nodded, though she kept walking, James ran to catch up with her. "You did hear what I said, right? I asked you to a dance, with me, James Potter."
Lily shrugged. "I haven't been asked by anyone else, I don't see why not."
A shrug of energy began to fill up slowly through James. From the balls of his feet, to the tip of his head, there was a running of adrenaline, building, ready to explode.
"YEAH!" James grabbed one of the banisters and began swinging around. "I'M GOING TO THE BALL WITH EVANS! I'M GOING WITH EVANS!"
Lily turned a bright shade of red, though she was also smiling
"Potter, stop!" Lily yelled, checking around to make sure no one heard.
James jumped off. "As you wish, my lady," he bowed close to the floor. "My apologies, I just found out that I shall be attending a ball with a rather fantastic young woman." He smile was infectious, with a true glow. "Shall we finish our adventure into the depths of Hogwarts?" He extended the crook of his elbow out to her.
Lily looked at it hesitantly, until she looped her arm through his. "Why not?" My God, what have I done? She thought.
Maybe it was the spring in his step, or the glint of light in his eyes, or his booming laugh, or the warmth she felt where there arms touched, or the ridiculous grin that hadn't left his face when she accepted his offer, but Lily was beginning to think that James Potter really wasn't so bad, after all.
Down the hall, hearing the yelling and jumping, the Fat Lady muttered, "I bet he used the fourth."
Awwww. I wish guys asked me to dances…
ANYWHO, to Nikki G.M, according to J.K. Rowling's Pottermore thingy, James was a chaser. Just some technicalities :3
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