Chapter 100: Ever After
"So that's the end of the story. The Prince and Princess live happily ever after." Sirius said in a super dramatic tone. Many students approached the remaining three Marauders during dinner to ask about the happenings between the Head Boy and Girl.
"That's so sweet!!" Gracie exclaimed. Many 'awws' were heard at the various parts of the Gryffindor table. Sirius had taken the opportunity to publicize the 'affair' to the rest of the Gryffindors since both the victims were absent for dinner.
"Sirius is exaggerating. There wasn't any passionate kissing scenes and definitely they didn't make out under the sun in the shade." Remus corrected. The group laughed at Sirius' comical expression from Remus' statement.
"Ok, Remus, you do the story telling." Sirius announced to the rest of the audience.
"Basically they just chat and hug for approximately - say three hours." Remus summarized the whole event in just one sentence.
"Huh?? That's all." Many students gave disappointed looks.
"Can you repeat the whole thing again??" Another student requested.
"I thought I finished the story with 'happily ever after'??" Sirius questioned.
"The whole thing sounded too good to be true."
"It's like the Prince and Princess kind of story, and this is happening for real."
"Ok, ok, let me start from the beginning again. For all those who want to hear the full details of what happened between the famous James Potter love life, please come closer." Sirius was standing on the chair with a crowd of audience surrounding him. For once, he actually ate very little and did very much talking during dinner. "It all started when James followed Lily out of the common room earlier this afternoon.." The ever-expanding group of students listened in awed and in doubt of the newly formed couple.
"Something tells me that Lily might kill James when she sees him." Stefanie commented. The three girls, along with Kate and Andromeda were sitting at one side of the table having their little private conversation and dinner. The rest of the Gryffindor crowd was surrounding the Marauders, listening to their exaggerations of the day's event.
"If she knows what the rest of the Marauders did, she might kill all four." Samantha joked, pointing at the other side of the table where Sirius' stood above the rest, talking animatedly with hand gestures and melodramatic effects.
"Well, it's difficult not to imagine things going on between them when both went missing immediately after just now." Joey reasoned. "Although we know Lily is in the dorm, what about James??" The rest replied with a shrug, though curious what would James be doing.
"Trust Lily to be sleeping at this point of time." Samantha shook her head slightly.
"Well, it is quite tiring to be struggling all afternoon." Stefanie kidded. It was difficult not to make a joke out of the afternoon incident.
Ok, this is probably the best time to go over to the girls' dorm. Everyone should be having his or her dinner now. James stood up suddenly, made up his mind and went down to the common room, which connected the girls' dormitory. Just maintain the Potter's cool and calm attitude and everything will be fine. He walked down the steps much slower than he expected. Hmm.. what should I say??
"Shall we go for a walk??" James asked casually. For some reason, both of them were walking alone along the Hogwarts corridor.
"Erm.. alright." Lily was surprised at her own response.
"So how are you??"
"Huh?? Ok??"
"So we're officially an item now??"
"Actually I rather not."
"Why??"
"I don't know. Just don't feel like having a boyfriend I guess. I love my freedom."
"I'm not a control freak or anything. You know me not enough that I'm not someone possessive, right??"
"To me it just doesn't sounds right being somebody's girlfriend. If you know what I mean."
"I don't know what you mean. It sounds perfectly okay being James' girlfriend."
"I'm just confused."
"Over what??"
"Everything happened too suddenly I supposed."
"I'm not rushing you into anything."
"Never mind, just give me some peace for goodness sake."
"You hasn't answer my question yet."
Lily's opened her eyes so suddenly. "Strange dream." She muttered and shook her head to clear her mind a little.
Rumbling!! "Great, what a time to get hungry." She forced herself out of her bed, threw her pillow back to her bed and decided to wash up.
"Me and James??" She asked her reflection.
"Sounds compatible." The mirror replied.
"Not you as well." Lily splashed some water onto her face and rinsed her mouth. She splattered some water onto the mirror surface.
"I know I'm just a mirror." The mirror muttered.
"Sorry, don't mean that. Anyway it's a long story." Looking at her reflection once more to make sure she looked presentable and she left her dormitory. Great. I just became the joke of the day. "Stupid James!!" She muttered as she dragged herself down the stairs. Luckily everyone is at the Great Hall. Maybe it's a good time to sneak to the kitchen and run back. She increased her speed down the stairs with newfound enthusiasm.
"Lil-" James called out subconsciously but stopped immediately when he saw Lily's expression. It showed a mixture of anger and confusion, an expression that he never seen before. Looks like I better keep a distance away. James stopped in his steps as he watched Lily exited the Gryffindor common room hastily. That's so unlike James Potter. I always get what I want. With determination and a little fear of rejection, he followed Lily out, again.
"Great, people are giving me funny looks now." Lily was ignoring the tenth group of students she came across as she made her way down to the kitchens. The current group of third year Hufflepuffs was giggling as they walked past her, giving her strange looks. Remind me to kill James when I see him. She told herself silently and was breaking into slow run instead of the initial brief walking.
What the hell is going on?? Everyone is shooting me with funny expressions. James thought as he returned a smile at a group of younger students from Ravenclaw and they burst into hysterical giggles. Remind me to ask Remus what's on earth is going on. James, on one hand, wanted to catch up with Lily, but on the other hand, with so many students loitering around, it was better to remain that way.
Rumbling..
Lily walked along the sides of the wall and avoided the stares from the rest of the students. In front of the portrait of the fruit bowl, making sure no one was around; she quickly tickled the pear and climbed into the kitchen.
"Good afternoon, Miss Lily, what would you like to eat??" A friendly house elf approached her, glad that they had visitors.
"Anything for dinner." Lily said without much energy. It had been a hungry day.
"Be right back." Several house elves hurried back into deeper part of the kitchens to fetch the food for Lily. Most of the house elves were busied preparing food for the rest of the teachers and students who were having their dinner upstairs in the Great Hall.
"What's so funny??" James asked a group of boys who burst into laughter the moment he walked past. The group of younger Ravenclaws shot Lily a look who was about three meters ahead of him, and then turned back to him before starting to laugh again.
This is getting ridiculous!! He wanted to interrogate the group of boys but they ran off quickly. I've this gut feeling that all these got something to do with Sirius.
"So do you think James and Lily are together now since they are not at the Hall for dinner??" A curious Gryffindor asked. Inquisitive students were still bombarding the Marauders after all that they had broadcasted during dinnertime.
"Well, they can be anywhere. But chances of them together are high." Sirius told the group as they neared the Gryffindor tower.
"Aren't they hungry after such an exciting afternoon??" Some questions were totally ridiculous but the Marauders happened to enjoy all the attention they were receiving.
"I suppose love can be quite – filling, on its own??" Sirius replied to the student who was on his left.
"Look, I think we had quite an enough session of James' love story. The rest of it will be for you to see. So check them out around corridors or classes or mealtimes on yourself. There's only so much to be said by us." Remus told the probing students as he shot Sirius and Peter a look. They nodded in understanding and retreated slowly off the crowd. There were murmurings and nods among the students as they stopped shooting questions for a few seconds. Seizing that opportunity, the three Marauders made a dash up to their dormitory.
Okay, I'm hungry, and that's why I'm at the kitchens. James thought. Making sure there was no one around, he tickled the pear and the door swung open. Lily is here. James slapped himself mentally. Obviously she's here. You followed her!!
"Good afternoon Mr. James." Several house elves rushed towards the entrance of the kitchen. Lily was horrified for a moment but anger came over her. She turned around and caught an eye contact with James.
"Dinner please."
James smiled warmly at her as if whatever happened in the afternoon ceased to exist. She clenched her fists and stood up. Hunger forgotten. The plate of food in front of her was forgotten. Now I'm going to kill that jerk.
"Hi Lily." James greeted her as she approached him.
"Hello James." Lily faked a sweet smile and sent a punch at James' left eye.
"What's-" He was confused what was that punch for.
"This is for you." Lily's tone was calm but full of anger. She sent another punch onto his left cheek.
"Stop that." What on earth is she trying to do?? James grabbed hold of Lily's right hand before she tried to send another punch on his face. "What are you trying to do??"
"You still have the cheek to ask." Lily sent her left fist towards James' stomach, which caused him to arch forward. James released her hand instantly and touched the newly inflicted wound on his stomach.
"That hurts a lot." James winced in pain. "Never knew you are such a strong girl." He tried to lighten the mood a little.
"I'm stronger than that." Lily replied furiously and gave a hard kick on James' left shin with her right foot.
"Aaahhhh!!" James' left leg gave way and he kneed down while his hands were still clenching on his injured stomach. "Can you please stop that??"
"Not so soon." Lily gave an even harder kick on his right shin that caused James to knee down totally.
"That's enough!!" What the hell is she think she is doing?!? He struggled to stand up again and raised his right hand threatening to hit her.
"I dare you to hit me." Lily said defiantly as she glared straight at James. There was no way he would want to hurt Lily.
"You know I won't want to hit you." James' voice was softer and not so hostile.
"But I still want to hit you." Lily moved closer to James' body. Remaining eye contact with James to divert his attention, she raised her right leg and aimed straight at James' private part.
"OOUUCCHH!!" Lily jumped aside as James' hand flew down to his crotch. It was so painful that he could barely stand upright.
"Why did you do that??" James was bending so low that he was squatting down; his hands never left his crotch for the pain was too tough to bear.
"Because of what you did just now." Lily's anger was slightly appeased as her tone was not as harsh as earlier on.
"B-but I didn't do anything." James defended. What did I do wrong??
"Still dare to say you didn't do anything??" Lily said in a pretended sweet voice which James' did not noticed the pretence behind it. She supported herself with her left hand against the wall, and while James was unaware, she kicked him again and left a dirty shoeprint on his face.
"Are you trying to kill me??" James cringed as he lain on the ground by his side. Both hands shielding his crotch for his dear life, back arched and knee against his chest, face dirtied, he was feeling ultra weak as the minute tickled.
"You got straight to the point." Lily went forward and before her next kick hit James' face, she was pulled back. "Hey, let me go."
"Mr. James in pain." One house elf said as he went forward to examine him.
"Painful. Painful." Another house elf that gripped tightly onto her right hand said.
"Lily, please stop." James was in a semi-conscious state, eyes half closed.
"Okay, I stop. Can you guys release me??" Lily said in her normal voice.
"Promise??" James muttered barely with any energy.
"At least for now I'm not going to hit you." The two house elves that were holding onto each of her hand slowly released their grip. "Serve you right. You deserved that." Lily turned back to her bench where she was sitting earlier before the interruption and continued her dinner.
"Mr. James needs the hospital wing." A house elf commanded. Several house elves used magic and conjured a stretcher to take James to the hospital wing.
"It's wrong to beat people." A house elf told Lily.
"He deserved it." Lily told the listening house elves as she finished her remaining dinner. It feels so good after beating him up. She smiled in a sense of satisfaction.
"Prongs!! We're back!!" Sirius announced as he stepped into their dormitory.
"He's not around." Peter replied.
"Let me guess. He's with Lily now!!" Sirius placed his two index fingers on his temples, pretending to be tracking James down.
"Get the map and we will know for sure." Remus suggested before heading towards the bathroom for biological reason.
"Prongs took the map!!" Sirius shouted after ransacking all their belongings.
"Professor, I'm here to confess an offence." Lily headed straight to Dumbledore's office straight after her dinner.
"What is it??" Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall raised their brows in surprised. Both Professors were in the office having some discussion when Lily interrupted them.
"I beat up James Potter." Lily admitted without any slight remorse or guilt.
"Why??" Professor McGonagall asked.
"He offended me." Lily said simply.
"What was the offence??"
"He sexually harassed me in the public." Lily summarized the afternoon incident to both the Professors, omitting some details out.
"What did you do??" Stefanie asked in disbelief. Lily had returned back to their dormitory long after dinnertime and the four girls were filled with questions for her.
"I thought I just told you??" Lily was taking it far too casually.
"You beat James up in the kitchen and went to confess to Dumbledore and McGonagall!!" Samantha repeated the important point.
"Yup. You've got that right." Lily smiled. "I'm all sweaty after beating him up." She grabbed her towel and cleaned clothes and went straight to the unoccupied bathroom.
"He didn't retaliate??" Joey asked.
"He nearly did. But when I dared him, he put down his hand."
"At least he is still a gentleman."
"Whatever." Lily was about to close the bathroom door.
"One more question." Samantha asked.
"What??" Lily tilted her head a little to her right.
"Where did you hit??"
"Or kicked??"
"Or punched??"