Ok, so I got one review (Thankyou!!)...which means I'm still writing this. But seriously, I'm getting hits, and 1 review?? Honestly, even if you read it and were like, 'Oh my God, I hope she stops writing', tell me!!!! I've been thinking about the Bella thing more, and I think it's too much. I haven't set up the war as being that big a deal yet. I'm too lazy to go back and change it now, but I'll do it eventually. Maybe! :) Anyway, here's chapter 5! Hope you guys enjoy!
5. A Journey
Lily slept all the way from The Burrow to the train station, her Mum waking her up when they arrived. Lily sleepily tugged her trunk from the taxi while her mother paid. "Alright, Snitch," she muttered softly, "don't draw attention to yourself!"
The golden bird hooted softly in acknowledgement, tucking his head under is wing. Lily smiled tiredly at her owl and began dragging her luggage to platform 9 and ¾.
"Petunia and your Dad are meeting us between platform 9 and 10…you know how your sister hates to go through the barrier, Honey."
Lily nodded ruefully. Her Petunia didn't have a problem with the barrier as such; she had a problem with magic.
""Lily! Rose!" her father waved enthusiastically. Petunia was leaning tentatively against a brick wall, as though it too could transport her to a magical platform. She flicked her blonde perm over her shoulder silently.
Lily and her mother approached them, Lily wrestling her trolley to a stop.
"Good thing you made it Lil. The train leaves in seven minutes." Her Dad's voice was calm, slow even when they had no time.
Lily looked blankly at him for a moment, still rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"What!" Her Mum, on the other hand, was a firm believer in squawking when running late. "Quick! Quick! Say goodbye to your sister! Quick!"
Lily smiled tentatively at Petunia, half opening her arms for a hug-
"Bye Lily." Petunia didn't move as she spoke, both eyes firmly fixed on Snitch.
Lily's arms fell back to her sides, her smile fading. "Fine." She turned to her Mum. "Listen, Mum-"
"And your Father! Quick!"
Her Dad pulled Lily into a tight hug, crushing her wounded cheek into his shoulder. She noticed his eyes glistening as her Mum tugged her back.
"Three minutes Lily! Quick now!" She was pushing her daughter towards the barrier, unaware of Lily's struggles with her trolley, unaware of the freshly bloodied bandage.
Lily could see the brick wall looming as her mother gave her a last shove in the right direction. She passed through the barrier, the Hogwarts Express appearing suddenly in front of her. She tugged at her trolley, trying to turn, to stop herself from crashing. The front left wheel refused to cooperate.
The screech of metal on metal was echoed by Snitch. He flapped his wings, obviously disgruntled. Lily didn't try to hush him. She was staring, horrified at the silver scratch now adorning the scarlet engine.
"Oi! Evans!"
Lily sighed, resting her forehead gently against the side of the train. "Potter."
He smirked as the guards began shutting doors. "Cutting it mighty fine tody, aren't we?"
Lily finally looked up at him as he lifted her trunk on board. "None of your business."
James Potter was obviously amused at her lousy retort. He turned, hand freezing mid-hair ruffle as he saw her cheek. The train began to hum, emitting puffs of smoke as the two stood frozen.
"Prongs!" Sirius Black's head stuck itself out the doorway, breaking them loose.
Potter started, reaching down to offer Lily a hand. She grabbed it, jumping aboard as the train began to move. Exhausted from the ten minutes of activity, Lily sagged against a wall. When she finally looked up, the train was fast leaving London behind, and there were four boys peering concernedly at her.
Lily forced a smile. "Prefect meeting Remus?"
The boys continued looking at her in silence, glancing occasionally at each other. Lily's temper was already fraying when another compartment door opened. The sight of the greasy boy that entered the corridor had always given Lily a warm rush, but that day she burned with anger. Her eyes narrowed, much (though she'd never admit it) in the same way as Black's did.
"Lily-"
"How can you look at me?" she asked, her voice deceptively soft. "How can you bear it Sev?"
Black and Potter looked at each other, exchanging some silent communication. They remained still, only their hands moving to rest on their wands.
"Lily? I don't underst-"
She stepped forward, abandoning the support of the wall, and also turning to face her old friend. She held her head high, making sure he could see her wounded cheek. Much like Potter earlier, he couldn't pull his eyes away.
"You don't understand? Do you often swap spells with Bellatrix Lestrange then?" Lily felt Sirius stiffen behind her, but her concentration was on Sev. Lily watched, half jubilant, half disgusted as he blanched. She pulled off her sodden bandage. The wound hadn't scabbed over.
Sev's fingers twitched towards his wand. "I-, I can, Lily, I can heal it." He looked pleadingly at her, willing her to give him another chance.
She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "How can I trust you Sev?"
His black eyes glittered, "Please. Please! I wouldn't hurt you…"
"But you already have." She shook her head again, tears and blood mingling on her face. "Tell me the charm."
He looked as though she'd slapped him. "I-" He licked his lips. "It's in my trunk." He scuttled into his compartment, returning almost immediately with a scroll of parchment. He thrust it at Lily, opening his mouth to say something, but she turned away before he had the chance. Lily watched as his window reflection shuffled, shoulders slumped, back to his friends.
It was only after the door had closed that she looked at the four marauders. Sirius was standing stony faced, staring at the ground. The other three were glancing nervously between him and Lily.
"Black." Tiredness had leaked into her voice.
He raised his eyes slowly. He looked older than Lily had ever seen him. In that moment he was not a laughing 16 year old, Lily thought, like a man being judged for something he didn't do.
"Lily-" His croak was quickly interrupted.
"Lily, Sirius hates his family!" Potter had his hands up, seemingly unsure which of them to hold back. "I swear-"
Lily took a deep breath, ignoring him. "Sirius," He stared at her, like a dog expecting to be kicked.
"No! Lily-"
"Shut up Potter!" She turned to glare at him. "I know he hates his family. I know he doesn't care about blood. Just shut up and let me speak!" She turned back to Sirius, "I wanted to thank you."
His head shot up. "Wha-?"
"For, well, for duelling with me so often." She half-smiled, asking him to laugh with her. He just stared. "I- I'm not crazy, I just…I only beat Bella because of-"
"You beat Bella!?!"
"Potter! Look at your friends! Do you see them interrupting?"
"No…"
"So SHUT UP!"
She turned back to Sirius. This conversation was not going as she'd imagined. She swallowed. "I only beat Bella because I've fought you so often. You're different in all the ways that matter, but you fight the same."
Sirius jerked, protesting.
"Sirius," Lily reached over, putting a hand on his forearm, "you saved my life. You saved my Mum's life. And you saved the lives of two little boys…"
There was silence for a moment, and then Sirius smiled. Shaking his head, as though shaking the serious moment away, he looked himself again. "Does that mean you'll go out with Prongs then?"
Slightly irritated, Lily couldn't help but laugh at the question. The use of nicknames, she knew, meant that all serious conversation was over. "I don't think so." She turned to Remus, proffering the roll of parchment. "Don't suppose you'd heal me before we go to the meeting?"
"Uh…" He looked uncomfortably at his friends. "Well…"
"Oh, forget it!" Lily snapped. Unfailingly courteous, Remus Lupin had managed to hold her at arms length for over a year. Despite her best attempts, their conversations during rounds had never progressed further than class work.
Lily shook the thoughts irritably away as she read the now crumpled scroll. She twitched her wand from her sleeve, smiling apologetically at Peter when he flinched.
Carefully tracing the wound she chanted the slightly altered healing charm three times. Lily grinned as the sting disappeared; magic truly was a wonderful thing!
Floating her trunk ahead of her she nodded at the boys. "Peter. Black, Potter, Lupin." She made eye contact with all of them, noting Remus' shock with a vindictive pleasure. She turned, moving to a compartment further along the carriage-her friends always sat in the same place.
Sure enough, a hail of greetings met her as she opened the door.
"Lily!"
"Lil!"
"Snitch!"
Lily's carefully constructed look of amused disdain faltered. Mary threw herself at the preening owl. Three seconds later the shocked silence gave way to laughter.
"I- I can't breathe!" Marly's face was red, her words interspersed with snorting giggles. Mary, laughing at her own wit and Marly's inelegance leaned on Lily in an attempt to stay upright. Unfortunately, the extra weight, combined with Lily's own laughter, caused her to stagger slightly forward, tripping over her trunk.
Dead silence filed the cabin until; "Oh, my, Merlin!" Viv gesticulated wildly, only half in control of her arms. Giggles filled the room. "Your face! Oh Lil!" And they were off. Hysterically laughing like only good friends can.
"Excuse me?" A familiar looking boy stood in the doorway, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Um, Lily Evans?" His eyes travelled from Marly, red-faced, to Vivianne, who had her hands covering her mouth in an attempt to stifle her laughter, down to Mary and Lily, clinging together on the floor. He fixed his eyes firmly to the wall. "Amanda sent me. You're late for-"
"Oh! Bugger!" Lily scrambled to her feet, "I forgot the prefect's meting!"
"Er…" The blonde boy nodded helplessly. "Amanda said they were waiting for you. And Remus said you were mad at…well, he asked me to come." He turned as Lily grabbed her wand from where it had fallen and barrelled into the corridor. He followed, laughter breaking out again as soon as the door was closed.
"It's Alex, right? Lily asked, continuing when he nodded. "I guess you're one of our 5th year prefects then!" She smiled at him, trying without to success to stop her face being so red.
They were in the next carriage when Alex spoke. "So, what were you guys laughing at then?" He looked nervous, though whether he thought she was impressive or insane Lily didn't know.
"Oh, well…you know, it actually wasn't that funny." She paused frowning. Lily laughed at the disbelieving look on his face. "No, really. I walked into the carriage, and my friends were all there already because I was late. And well, one of them said hello to my owl." Lily chuckled awkwardly. "And then, you know, one person finds something funny, and you laugh at them laughing…and I tripped over my trunk…" She looked at him hopefully, the two of them stopped at the door to the prefect's compartment.
He grinned suddenly, lighting up his face. "Are you going to tell them the same thing?" he asked, opening the door.
Lily peered cautiously into the room, feeling her blush return. She was suddenly conscious of her muggle clothes and her dishevelled hair. The other prefects were a sombre bundle of black, their house emblems the only real colour.
"Sorry I'm late. I completely forgot." She looked nervously at the two heads.
The new head girl, a 7th year Ravenclaw, sniffed. Amanda had disliked Lily for years; she thought that Lily didn't take the rules seriously enough.
Bertram, smiled at Lily. "No worries Lil, it happens to the best of us." As she sat down Lily caught sight of his head badge, pinned next to the Badger on his robes.
Incredibly grateful her face was returning to normal colour, she resolved to pay absolute attention. 20 minutes late she was staring, glassy eyed, as Amanda went on and on about the importance of curfews in troubled times. Lily didn't notice when they were dismissed, starting when she saw the other prefects leaving. She stood quickly, grimacing apologetically as Alex caught her falling chair. "Sorry!"
"No worries…am I going to have to escort you back to your carriage?" He smiled lazily, "To make sure you arrive in one piece?"
She laughed. There was an easy teasing already between them: the beginning of a friendship.
"Not necessary." Remus appeared between them, smiling politely. "I have to talk to Lily about, um, classes."
Lily stiffened then sighed. She nodded, "I'll see you later Alex!"
Remus as silent as they walked to their compartments, there was no comradarie between them. He waited until they were well clear of the others before speaking, "Lily, about before-"
She interrupted, resigned. "Forget it Remus. It's not like we've ever actually been friends." He opened his mouth to respond, but whether it was to confirm or deny her statement Lily would never know; she cut him off before he could speak. "So what did I miss in the meeting? I kinda zoned out!"
Remus hesitated, before shrugging and allowing the subject change. "Not much. Something about a monthly patrol schedule. The teachers will patrol for the first week. And we have until Wednesday to tell them any dates we'll be…indisposed." He offered her a wry smile. "Otherwise it's just like last year. Let them know if you're sick and all that."
Lily hesitated outside her compartment. He looked sad. Biting her lip, one hand on the door she said softly, "I can't force you to let me in Remus." And then she left him, standing torn in the corridor.