Hey guys! I'm so sorry it took so long, and I really hope you like this chapter! This is where all the drama starts ;P...
Enjoy! :)
The next day, James sauntered over to the Great Hall with a confident air about him. He flashed a Second Year a grin, nodding," Morning."
The bewildered child stumbled and dropped her books as she gaped back at him in awe. Had the James Potter just talked to her?
James chuckled as he left the young girl fumbling for a suitable reply, lightly reprimanding himself for his over-the-top cheerful mood.
He was still grinning ear-to-ear as he sat down for breakfast in front of a certain crimson-headed someone.
"Hullo."
Lily looked up at him in between a forkful of eggs, nodded, and promptly went back to eating.
"You feeling better?" he inquired, trying not to seem put down by her less-than-enthusiastic greeting.
"Do I look like I'm still in the bloody hospital?" she snapped, violently stabbing at her eggs with her fork. James blinked in surprise at her furious outburst. Had he done something wrong already?
He opened his mouth to say something but was quickly silenced when Lily stood up, breathing heavily, and quietly said," Just leave me alone, Potter. I'm in no mood for your foolish antics today." And with that, she gave him one last, hard look before stalking off.
James just sat there, wondering what in Merlin's pants could have gotten Lily so utterly pissed. Was it him? Did she not like his new cologne? Was there something on his face? Wait, did he remember to brush his teeth? Ruddy hell, this was getting complicated...
He, too, then left his breakfast unfinished- the ceaseless fire inside of him now completely extinguished.
Everything had seemed to sudden... one minute, Lily seemed to actually be excited for Hogsmeade, yet the next, she was on the brink of downright setting the roof on fire... Blimey, girls were weird.
James knew there had to be a reason for this abrupt change in demeanor, and he grew determined to find out exactly what. It would be no easy task, though, seeing as how Lily was quite content in staying at least a Quidditch field's length away from him. There had been something in her eyes, however... He had seen that look before, a look that awoke a strong, deep hatred for something that he couldn't quite put a finger on yet.
He tried to quickly catch a glimpse of Lily as she reached the hall doors, and then gasped. He realized that he had failed to notice, an...er- small detail about her before... her hand was in a bloody cast. A thick, scarlet, bandaged cast.
IDIOT, James seethed, mentally reminding himself to kick himself in the crotch later.
Merlin's beard, how had he missed that?
Silently cursing himself, he strained himself to remember what had ignited this fierce hatred, but nothing came to mind... yet.