The Truth Of The Heart

Summary: Lily Evans has always, ALWAYS hated James Potter. So when they become Head Boy and Girl, nothing could be worse. But could working with him change Lily's opinion? Has she been ignoring the truth in her heart all along?

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this….except a few minor characters, so please don't sue me, JKR, 'cause I have nothing you want….unless you're into human flesh (you're not, are you?)

A/N: Thank you guys all SO MUCH for your reviews – it's nice to know I haven't been forgotten! I would do review thank-yous, but if this fic gets taken down again for anything, it won't be going up again, so I won't risk it.

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Chapter 11: Quidditch, Anyone?

Dear Miss Heathleigh,

We congratulate you on becoming a Gryffindor finalist in your year in the Halloween fancy dress contest. The final competition will be held during the Christmas Ball, in late December. The same rules will apply as to the previous contest, but you may not use the same costume – a new one must be put together. You will spend the first half of the ball in your costume, in order for the judging to take place, and may then change into appropriate clothing for the dance afterwards. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to come to us. We hope you will have fun!

Yours sincerely,

James Potter and Lily Evans

Head Boy and Girl

P.S. Go get 'em Saffy. And feel free to give me details on what you're wearing when you decide!

Love,

Lily ;-D

Lily! You weren't meant to write personal messages on these! Otherwise I could have written a nice, polite one to Malfoy – oh crap, I've done it now as well. Sorry Sapphire. Congratulations, anyway. (Lily, I'm going to kill you!)

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Dear Mum,

I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to write back to you. I've been studying a lot, so it's been difficult to squeeze in time.

I'm a horrible liar, aren't I?

You want the truth? A lot's been going on lately. It's kind of been like an emotional rollercoaster. I know, I know, you're going to tell me that I should concentrate on my schoolwork more. NEWTs won't be easy, blah blah blah. I am studying. It's just that this has all been going on the. . . sidelines, so to speak.

I guess I'd better start at the beginning, so that you'll understand. Callie broke up with me. Messily. In the middle of the Halloween contest. She went off to sit with Serena afterwards (I should have seen that coming), and I ended up crying like a baby in the toilets. Mind you, it wasn't totally terrible. Lily Evans (you know, that nice girl you talked to on the platform last year) found me, and now, I think I have new best friends – her and Emma. I honestly can't believe that I missed out on what great people they were for such a long time. I always thought they were really studious and boring, even though I suppose Lily can be quite a hit with the boys – she looks a bit like a Christmas decoration, in a nice way, with her red hair and green eyes. Emma's a bit more . . . cynical, but she's fun too. I feel a lot happier than I have in a long time, and Callie can just go throw herself off a cliff for all I care. I really don't want to remember all the things that she said to me that night.

In other news, your idea for me going as a Dryad was great, Mum. I'm a finalist in my year in the contest, and the dress was perfect. All I had to do was go out and nick a few leaves and flowers from the grounds. I have to find a new costume now, since you're not meant to wear the same one for the finals. Any other brilliant ideas?

So, I suppose that at this very moment, my life is pretty good. Wait a moment. I would highly suggest that you hide this part from Dad.

Done?

Good.

I have a minor problem with a boy. Not that kind of problem, Mum, and no, don't worry, you won't get any grandkids off me yet! There's this boy in my year, Sirius Black, who won't stop picking on me. It's weird, because he's obviously known I existed for the last six years, but it's like he's only just noticed me. It's not bullying, either, it's just this continual teasing. I suppose I'd better confess that I did have a tiny, TINY crush on him in fifth year, but now I think he's just a pig-headed prat. Lily said I should give him a good kick up the- well, a good kick, but I'm just trying to ignore him at the moment, as per Emma's advice. It's hard though. There are times when I'd just love to punch his smug face. The reason I'm telling you is because from what you used to tell me, I think Dad might have been a bit like this when he first moved into the neighbourhood and started hanging out with you and your friends in the holidays, so I wanted to know what you did to shut him up (please say it involved slapping him round the face!) Have no fear, though; there is VERY little chance that I would EVER like Sirius, considering how much I despise him at this point in time, so I won't be changing my name to Sapphire Black any time soon. Ugh. The thought makes my skin crawl.

Anyway, Emma's calling me, we have to go to dinner, so I'll stop here before this gets too heavy for Andromeda to carry. Hope you and Dad are well (Tell him to lay off the cigarettes, please

Lots of love,

Saffy

xxx

P.S. If Dad come storming up to the school ready to beat up any boy that so much as looks at me, then I'll KNOW you let him read this, and I will never write another letter to you again!

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That Saturday was Gryffindor's first Quidditch match of the season, against Slytherin. According to the resident Quidditch fanatics, Gryffindor was already in with a good chance, as long as they scored over than one hundred and fifty points, because Ravenclaw had defeated Slytherin by two hundred and fifty points in their first match. The tension in the air was palpable as Lily woke up. All around her, red clothing was lying on the floor and beds, shows of support for the House. When Emma, Lily and Saffy entered the Great Hall, scarves wrapped firmly round their necks in anticipation of the weather, the first thing noticeable was the Quidditch team, sitting at one end of the table, looking pale and talking quietly. Soon enough, they broke away from the group, leaving the Marauders on their own. James in particular, looked like he had not slept all night, and was not making the slightest effort to bother with eating, despite the fact that his fellow Chaser, Sirius, was piling his plate with sausages and bacon.

After breakfast, the school began to filter out and go down to the Quidditch pitch. Daniel Jordan climbed up into the commentator's box, closely followed by Professor McGonagall, who looked fully intent on monitoring every word he said.

"Welcome to the second match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin! On the Slytherin team, I give you: Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, Lestrange, Avery, Rosier, and the captain . . . Malfoy!" Seven green-robed figures walked out onto the pitch, clutching broomsticks. Lily caught a glimpse of Lucius Malfoy's smug face smirking into the crowd, every blond hair in perfect place.

"And now, the team who will be winning the Cup this year, ("JORDAN!") Sorry Minnie ("JORDAN, DO YOU INTEND TO CONTINUE COMMENTATING THIS YEAR?") Sorry, Professor, sorry. Now, where was I? Oh yeah, GRYFFINDOR! I give you: Jacobs, Black, Stevens, Lawrence, Nicholson, Andrews and their captain . . . Potter!"

Unlike the Slytherins, the Gryffindor team looked tense. James' face was grim and set as he faced Malfoy, while his hair and robes blew wildly in the wind.

"Captains, shake hands," Madam Hooch called out. "Mount your brooms. Three – two – one." She blew her whistle, and fourteen brooms rose into the air.

The match was fast and exciting, and Gryffindor took an early lead. Lily watched the green and red blurs race around the pitch with more interest than usual, for reasons she could not seem to explain to herself. Beside her, Sapphire whooped and cheered every time Gryffindor scored, and even Lily could see how hard the team had practiced. The Chasers worked well together, passing seamlessly to each other and almost seeming to read each other's thoughts. Gemma Nicholson and Jack Stevens, the two Beaters, were also doing a good job, forcing the Slytherins to dive randomly all over the pitch in an effort to avoid their Bludgers. Moira, the Seeker, was darting around in the air, high above everyone else, obviously looking for the Snitch. As he circled past, Lily sighted James' face. His eyes were narrowed in focus, his whole expression centred in concentration on the Quaffle as he soared past, shouting an instruction at Sirius. She had to admire his prowess on the broom; he seemed completely at home in the air, managing to both dive and rise fifty metres in the space of about twenty seconds.

Sapphire's excitement was infectious; Lily had never known that she was such an avid Quidditch supporter. Both Remus and Lily found themselves joining in with her cheers as the scores mounted. Gryffindor were leading 160 to 90 – if Moira caught the Snitch now, the game would be theirs. No one even noticed when Emma slipped away, halfway through.

"And Jacobs passes to Black, who passes to Potter, back to Jacobs – ooh, he drops it, and the Quaffle is caught by Nott, damn you ('JORDAN!') sorry Professor, who passes to Lestrange, who – nicely intercepted by that Bludger, hit by Nicholson."

Suddenly, a gasp went round the stands, and everyone collectively craned their necks to squint up into the sky.

Moira and Avery, the Slytherin Seeker, were rising sharply up, at an almost ninety-degree angle, both their hands outstretched towards the tiny gold ball that fluttered innocently above. It looked as though Avery was going to make it first. He knocked Moira's hand out of the way, the crowd held its breath, and . . .

"COME ON, MOIRA!" Sapphire screamed.

Gemma Nicholson, at the last moment, swung her bat at the nearest Bludger, which raced towards Avery at such an angle that he was forced to rise sharply above Moira. A look of ecstatic greed spread over his face as he was moved even closer to the Snitch, and his hand began to close . . .

. . . just as the Snitch, moving sideways to evade his hand, flew straight into Moira's.

The Gryffindor stands exploded.

Sapphire was screaming herself hoarse and jumping up and down, as were many others, while Remus and Peter hi-fived each other in delight. Lily felt herself smiling widely as the Gryffindor team reached the ground.

"AND GRYFFINDOR WINS, 300 POINTS TO 90! CONGRATULATIONS TO CAPTAIN POTTER AND HIS TEAM; THEY'VE JUST GOT INTO FIRST PLACE RUNNING FOR THE QUIDDITCH CUP . . .!"

As the team moved together to congratulate each other, Lily laughed out loud to see Sirius' ecstatic expression, which he was directing at the Slytherins, whose faces looked like thunder. She could just about work out what he was saying.

"Haha! Take that, you smug bastards! Not so tough now, are you?"

Beside him, James launched himself at Moira and hugged her tightly. Shorter than him by about a head and a half, she was almost engulfed by him. He released her, and looked up at the crowds, grinning, his robes sweaty and his hair even messier than it had begun. His eyes met Lily's for an instant, and she read the intense, fierce joy in his hazel eyes as he looked at her, which shook her, for some profoundly inexplicable reason, to the bone. The moment passed, and he was distracted as Sirius bounded up to slap him on the back, talking cheerfully. Pulling herself out of her daze, Lily and Saffy began to make their way out of the stands. Suddenly, Lily turned round.

"Where's Emma?"

Sapphire looked behind her, then shrugged. They continued past the hordes of cheering (or scowling) pupils.

Lily did not have to wait long for her question to be answered. As they made their way towards the castle, Emma appeared beside them, looking excited, but apprehensive.

"Where were -" Lily began, but Emma interrupted her hurriedly, her face pale.

"It's ready, Lily. The potion's ready."

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A/N: Okay, so this was a bit of a short chapter, but it was necessary! Anyway, reviews always make me feel like updating faster (hint hint hint)!