Charmed Love: Chapter 3
September 1 –Even Later
Great Hall –First Dinner
Hurray! I am finally here at my home away from my actual home. Well I suppose that even sometimes I have grown to love this place even more than my real home. It feels so good to be back here again. The place of magic and learning that I have come to know and love dearly. I do love my family, don't get me wrong, but my sister's jokes and complaints can really get old very quickly.
We got off the train and then boarded one of those horseless carriages to take us to the castle. I was just climbing into the carriage after Alice to get into my seat, seems easy enough, right? Well, me being the uncoordinated person that I am, got my foot stuck on the ladder prong. Well, as I am sure you can guess, I lost my balance and fell down. Great, insert sarcasm here! Well, actually compared to my usual that is nothing at all. Normally, Beth would have madde4 a comment about my non-existent balance after she helped me up, but she wasn't here. I started to get up when all of a sudden, two very strong hands grabbed my shoulders and pulled me up onto my feet. I already knew who it was, so I turned around so that I could grudgingly thank him.
"I could have handled that by myself, James. But thank you anyways." I said while brushing away the small bits of grass that had stuck to my robe. I sometimes feel like I am forever doing that, seeing as I fall down so incredibly much.
"Don't mention it. What was I supposed to do? I have to help every damsel in distress, but I am exceptionally glad that it was you. See you later, Lily Evans." He said, while he turned to leave to go join his friends. However before he left he turned around and winked at me again.
I really don't know why he feels the need to wink at me, but as much as I loathe admitting it; it is incredibly cute. It makes me feel like we share some kind of secret, only I don't know what the secret is. Which you can probably guess is very aggravating.
"Did James Potter just wink at you?" Beth was back, and in her usual no nonsense manner got straight to the point, pulling me from my thoughts. Usually I find that very nice and refreshing, but at this moment in time not so much. Because the whole not-being-passive-to-the-wink-thing is not helping my I-do-not-fancy-James-Potter cause.
"Yeah, I guess he did, but I really didn't notice." Trying my best to sound like it was a very everyday occurrence for a guy like James to wink at my. Sometimes I really wish that she could be less aware of what does on in my life.
"Lily, you can be so mind-blazingly clueless at times." Beth said while looking at me as if I were missing a very obvious fact. When I didn't respond to that remark, she climbed into the carriage. I followed in quickly so that I could not fall down again.
I sat sown in the carriage next to Alice and across from Beth who was still looking aggravated. Beth said to Alice "She is still in denial, and is refusing to admit that one day they might become more than friends." She did not even need to tell Alice who she was referring to.
I do not know why they think that I might fancy James Potter. And now they are under the sad misconception that he might like and in fact does fancy me in return. They really have no Idea how things are between James and I. We have only started being civil to one another; anything else is not in the nearby future. I decided to pass the ride by replaying parts of my conversation with Alice and Beth in my head…..
"You. And. James….Friends? Alice asked in a voice of poorly disguised curiosity. She was practically off of her chair; she was sitting so close to the edge of her seat. I have never seen her like this before. Well, Beth I would expect something like this from.
"Yeah, I guess we are. I can't even bloody understand the situation myself. He just said that he didn't want things to be tense between us, and that he wanted to be friends. It will be nice not having to dread his presence considering the fact that we will have to spend loads of time together."
"Lily, Lily, Lily" Beth said shaking her head like a teacher who must once again explain the steps to make a paper airplane to a 5 year old again. "When are you going to admit that you secretly love the idea of spending loads of time with James? Plenty of time for the two of you to kiss when you finally get around to it." She said while suggestively raising her eyebrows at me.
"Beth!" I said exasperated. "I do not have any nor do I plan to make any plans to go around kissing James Potter. That is completely out of the question. Even if I did like him like that, he has made it pretty obvious that he doesn't fancy me anymore."
"You. Are. So. Incredibly. Clueless." Alice said. "Sometimes I think that you should be the blonde, not me, because God in heaven knows that you act like one more than I do." She said as she pulled at a lock of her honey blonde shoulder length curls.
"Lily and I want you to pay attention because I am only going to say this once. James has fancied you for about 5 years now. Everyone knows that he wants you. I would bet all the money in my pocket right now that even Dumbledore knows! I bet that it you went up to any 2nd year and asked them James Potter love blank. 9 out of 10 times they would say Lily Evans because you would have had to have lived under a bloody rock to not know that simple well known fact. But then again you can never be too sure with 2nd years." Beth ranted on and on.
"You guys don't even know what you are talking about at all." I said as I rolled my eyes skyward and sighed under my breath. I do love my friends, but God knows when they get an idea in their heads they prove to be most stubborn when that topic is brought up.
"He fancied you. You are in love with him. One day you are going to wake up and smell the coffee, and realize that Hogwarts most eligible bachelor is in love with you. And you will have nowhere to hide, my friend." Beth said
"Lily, Beth is right. I personally cannot wait for that moment. I have always thought that the two of you would make the cutest couple." Alice said.
I know that right now it is annoying me, but I do love that my friend and I can talk about stuff like that. However now it not one of those moments…
We got out of the carriages. I actually managed without falling on my face or otherwise embarrassing myself. Maybe that is a good omen of things to come.
I walked to the castle with a sense of familiarity and relief. I loved this school of magic because I wasn't allowed to use magic in the muggle world. The castle still looked the same. I heard the same things. It even smelled the same. Speaking of which I hape they serve dinner soon because I am starving.
I sat down at my regular place at the Gryffindor table beside Beth and Alice. They were already fighting ever who gets the first shower in the morning.
I just looked down the table and saw James and his friends: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. They were all talking in a rather animated manner. James must have sensed my eyes on him because he just turned his head so that his hazel eyes met my emerald ones. He gave me a bright smile and winked at me before turning back to the conversation.
The meal was good although I don't even remember what was served because all I could think about was the wink that James just gave me.