Chapter 2: I Know What You Did Last Summer

They had just managed to straighten out their compartment as the train pulled into the station. Lily's group was the first off and stood together waiting for the carriages to arrive.

Since boarding the train, Lily had barely had a chance to say two words to her best friend, who now pulled her eagerly aside from the others. After giving Lily a massive hug, Elise let go and folded her arms across her chest. She was several inches shorter than Lily and had wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. She and Lily had been inseparable since their first train ride to Hogwarts.

"So are you going to tell me what's going on?" Elise said bluntly.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, even though she had a pretty good idea what her friend was referring to.

"Sirius told me that your dad referred to James as your boyfriend! I told him he was absolutely crazy, but then I come to find you and James practically holding hands back there. What is going on?" Elise was nearly shouting.

Lily shushed her, glancing around to make sure no one else was listening.

"It's not what you think," Lily whispered. "And we weren't practically holding hands."

"Well then tell me. What is this all about?"

"Not now," Lily said. "We've just arrived and it's a very long story."

"Fine," Elise conceded. "At least tell me, did something happen over the summer between you and James?"

Lily nodded reluctantly, knowing full well that she wouldn't back down without an answer. Elise let out a squeal that was cut off by Tonks, who ran eagerly up to Lily.

"Lily, guess what! Moony just told me that I get to take a boat across the lake!"

Giddy with excitement, Tonks looked like an entirely different girl than Lily had met that morning. In fact, now that Lily was paying attention, she realized that Tonks' straight strawberry blonde hair was now short and curly. Her freckles were also no longer apparent. And maybe it was Lily's imagination, but her nose was looking a little pointier than it had before. Lily shook her head, hoping that she wasn't hallucinating.

"That's true Tonks! You do get to take a boat. It's quite a fun ride," Lily lied. She in fact had hated every moment of her own first trip across the lake. She had been terrified of the giant squid that was known to live in there; a fact that James had told her as they had boarded their boats.

"Firs' years!" A voice called through the crowd. It was the voice of Hagrid, Hogwarts' grounds keeper. He was half giant, which meant he towered over the students. "Calling all firs' years. I need you to gather over here!"

"He's huge!" Tonks commented when she spotted him.

"That's Hagrid," Lily laughed. "You'll like him, he's a big softy."

"Ok, well I better get going. Thanks Lily, for everything," she said. "I hope I'm sorted into Gryffindor!"

"Whatever house you end up in, we'll still be friends, I promise," Lily said.

"Deal," Tonks said as she scampered off. "Bye Elise!"

"There goes our little girl, all grown up," James said dramatically as he snuck up behind Lily and draped his arm around her shoulders.

"Arm. Off. Potter." Lily growled. "Where did you guys come from?"

"We saved you fine ladies a carriage," Sirius said, gesturing toward the one nearest to them.

Seeing no other choice, Lily and Elise climbed in after the boys. It no longer seemed strange to any of them that the carriages that brought students to the castle were pulled by invisible beings called threstrals. Of the group, only James could actually seen the winged horse-like creatures, a fact which he had told no one. Not even Sirius.

"Can you believe this is the last time we'll do this?" Asked Elise, nostalgically.

"Not at all," Remus said shaking his head.

"It feels like just yesterday we were first years," Lily sighed. "I remember how nervous I was that first day."

"I remember that day like it was just yesterday," James said with a grin. "That's the day I met" he looked at Lily and said, "all of you. Well, except you, El. I already knew you."

"It was hardly a friendly meeting for some of us, Potter," Lily reminded him coldly.

"Oh come on now," James defended. "It was an innocent mistake bumping into you like that."

"Oh yeah? Just like lighting my hair on fire during fourth year was a mistake?" Lily countered. "Or throwing a quaffle into my pumpkin juice? How about the time you tripped me down the stairs into the dungeons? The list goes on and on, Potter. You can't say that everything you've done to me over the past six years was a mistake."

Lily didn't know why she was getting so upset. Perhaps it was easier to remember all of James' faults instead of acknowledging the strengths she was coming to learn and actually like.

"That's not fair, Lily," James said sadly. "Haven't you ever heard of forgive and forget?"

Whenever James thought he was having a breakthrough with Lily, he always ended up taking ten steps backwards. No matter how much he changed, or matured, or tried to prove himself, Lily would never see him as anything but an immature prankster.

"Yeah, Lily-flower. That's no way to speak to your boyfriend," Sirius provoked.

"WHAT?" Peter sputtered.

"Boyfriend?" Remus questioned, nearly jumping out of his seat.

"Drop it guys!" James shouted. He knew his friend had taken it too far, and Lily would not react well to their goading.

"Are you two dating now?" Peter asked incredulously.

"What did you mean, boyfriend?" Remus asked again.

Lily had had enough. She couldn't handle being a part of this conversation for another second.

"Stop the carriage!" She shouted.

"You can't stop the carriage, Lily. There's no one driving it," Elise explained, hoping to calm her friend down.

"Fine, but I'm getting out of here." she pulled the door open and looked at the ground as it soared past.

"Don't be ridiculous, Lily!" Elise called grabbing the back of her robes.

Lily considered the height of the carriage and the speed with which they were moving. She decided she could make it without any major injuries. Pulling her robes away from Elise, she launched herself out of the carriage and into a bed of tall grass. She landed on her hands and knees and rolled slowly to a stop.

"Lily!" Elise shouted after her, shocked at her friend's drastic behavior.

James pushed his way past Elise and jumped out of the carriage after Lily.

"That can't be good," Elise said, sitting back down on the now empty bench across from Remus, Sirius, and Peter.

"Anyone want to take bets on which one makes it back in one piece?" Sirius said, wondering if he was joking or if he should be concerned.

James, who had landed gracefully on his feet, searched for Lily in the tall grass. He found her sitting with her elbows resting on her knees.

"Are you ok?" He panted, winded from running in search of her.

"Oh, jeez!" Lily groaned when she saw him. "Stop doing that!"

"Doing what?" James asked.

"Coming to my rescue. Asking if I'm ok," she explained angrily.

He didn't understand. Why was she so upset? Why had she been so desperate to get away from him that she leapt out of a moving carriage. He had thought that after what had happened between them over the summer, she would think better of him.

"Can I at least help you up?" He held his hand out to her. She took it reluctantly and he pulled her to her feet.

They stood there in the dark for a long while, neither knowing what to say or do.

"Look Evans, do you really find me so revolting that the idea of being my girlfriend caused you to launch yourself out of a carriage?" He asked in all seriousness. With his words, he felt a stab of pain in his chest.

"No," Lily mumbled. "That's not it."

"Then why did you do it?" James asked, a little more vehemently than he had intended.

"It's exactly that. The fact that I don't find you revolting," Lily said, confusing even herself. "It used to be so simple. You were an annoying nuisance. Now you're the guy who comes to my rescue, and says unexpectedly sweet things. You help out first years and take charge as Head Boy. I don't know what to make of it."

"So what exactly are you saying?" James wondered aloud.

"I don't know. I just feel so… confused."

So do I, he thought.

"I don't know what to think anymore," she resisted the urge to run away like she had back in the carriage.

He heard the pain in her voice and found himself wanting to comfort her. But the burn of rejection still stung, fresh in his mind.

"It was so much easier hating you," she continued. "This is weird to me, seeing you… like this." She couldn't keep the tears from flowing now.

"Lily, it's ok. It's ok to be confused," he broke down and comforted her.

"How can you be so sure?" Lily asked. "You don't even know me. I'm not as great as you think I am. How can you like someone who keeps hurting you over and over?"

"My thoughts and my feelings are my own. You can't tell me I'm wrong," James said quietly.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" She meant the question rhetorically, of course, but he wasn't quite sure.

"I can't force you to be interested in me, Lily. It has to be your decision."

They stood there in the dark again, neither saying a word.

"We should probably get moving if we're going to make it to the feast," Lily said, awkwardly changing the subject.

Even though James wished she would continue to open up to him, he conceded and together they started walking toward the castle in silence.

"Wait, I have a better idea," James said, snapping Lily back to reality. She had been busy trying to sort out the opposing thoughts in her head.

He pointed a ways to their left and explained. "Over there is a threstral. We can ride it back to the castle. It will be much quicker than walking."

"I don't see anything," Lily began. "Wait a minute. A threstral, as in the animal that pulls the carriages and is only visible to people who have seen... seen death?" Lily changed her tone as she realized what this meant.

"James, you can see threstrals?"

James didn't let himself read into her use of his first name.

"Yeah," he said dismissively. "Come on."

"I don't know how I feel about this. Can you imagine what it would be like to ride something you can't even see?"

"Frankly Lily, it's been three months since I've had Hogwarts' pumpkin pie, and at this rate it will be at least one more day if we don't hop onto this threstral."

"This can't be safe!" she mumbled.

Although Lily was very uncomfortable with the idea, she allowed James to hoist her onto the invisible beast. He jumped up after her.

"Be honest, how ferocious does this thing look?" She asked, gripping invisible fur that she assumed to be its mane.

"Looks like a cuddly kitten," James lied. "Let's go," he said, digging his heals into the animal's side.

The threstral took off from the ground and into the air. Lily had forgotten that threstrals had wings and their primary mode of transportation, when they weren't pulling heavy carriages, was to fly. She squealed as she was lifted off the ground. It was the strangest sensation to be flying atop a solid surface, but to look down and see nothing but air beneath you. Lily didn't want to admit it, but she quite enjoyed the brief ride to the castle.

That being said, she was plenty relieved when her feet were planted firmly back on the ground.

James patted the beast in gratitude and sent him away. He found Lily beaming up at the castle, well lit against the night sky.

"Home," she sighed.

"Home," he echoed, but it wasn't the castle James was staring at in the pale moonlight.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked as they made their way to the giant front doors of the castle. "I think you were even enjoying yourself."

"It wasn't terrible," she agreed. "I don't mind flying as long as it's not on a broomstick."

"What?" James said, seeming personally offended. "There's nothing quite like riding a broom."

"Agree to disagree," Lily granted.

"Come on, Lily. If you would just let me take you for a ride it would change your mind so fast," he said without thinking.

"I don't think so."

When they entered the castle, there was no one else in the corridors. Everyone must have already made it to the feast. James hoped they hadn't missed dessert.

Lily stopped James right outside of the doors to the Great Hall.

"Hold on a second," she said shyly.

"Yes?" James asked expectantly.

Lily looked around to make sure they were alone. Unfortunately for her, she did not consider looking up, for if she had, she would have noticed Peeves, the devious school poltergeist, hovering above them. He had been waiting to pelt first years with dungbombs after the feast.

"I'm not ready to tell anyone about what happened this summer. It's just sort of... embarrassing and personal, you know what I mean?" she explained.

James nodded.

"Ok then. So we agree not to tell anyone about the wedding?"

"Agreed," James said. "Can we go eat now?"

Several students turned to look as Lily and James entered the hall. Blushing furiously, Lily hurried over to an open seat next to Elise. James found a spot between Peter and Remus.

"What did I miss?" Lily whispered to Elise.

"Seriously?" Elise said with attitude. "You're going to ask me that? You jumped out of a moving carriage for Merlin's sake, and you aren't even going to mention it?"

"Later," Lily promised. "What did I miss?"

"You missed the Sorting Hat's song... dark times, blah blah blah, watch out for each other, blah blah blah," Elise imitated. "And now they're half way through sorting first years into houses. But get this," she added excitedly. "Every time someone is sorted, Bellatrix Black cheers for them louder than anyone. It's unnerving."

As if to prove Elise's point, the Sorting Hat yelled out "Ravenclaw" and a young boy jumped off the stool at the front of the room.

"You go Dillon Smith! Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure! You are one smart cookie," Bellatrix yelled loudly, giving the boy a standing ovation. Her face looked mortified.

The rest of the students roared with laughter. It wouldn't have been so funny if it had been anyone else cheering, but Bellatrix was known as the school bully and had never said anything nice in her life.

No one laughed harder than Lily though.

"Remind me to explain that to you later too," she said to Elise who was still shaking with laughter.

From the front of the hall, Professor McGonagall called "Tonks, Nymphadora" to be sorted.

Lily watched nervously as Tonks took a seat on the stool and pulled the sorting hat onto her head.

When the hat called "Gryffindor," Tonks threw her fist happily into the air.

The joyous whoops from the Gryffindor table were silenced when Bellatrix yelled "I'm so proud of you, Tonks! You're so brave and strong. You show those Gryffindors what you're made of."

Angrily, Bellatrix slammed her fists on the table in front of her and ran from the Great Hall, shoving anyone who got in her way.

"You're a Gryffindor!" Lily greated Tonks with a hug as she sat down next to her.

"I was so afraid I would get stuck in Slytherin!"

"Oh, but Tonks, you're so brave and strong," Elise giggled, "of course you belong in Gryffindor with us."

"Did you hear that too?" Tonks asked. "Did Bellatrix really congratulate me? I thought maybe I was hallucinating."

"Nope, you're still sane. We all heard it!"

"What do you think made her change her mind?"

"I don't think she changed her mind, Hun. I may have paid her a little visit after what she did to you this morning," Lily explained between chokes of laughter. "I tried out a new charm that makes the recipient say only kind words. Apparently she doesn't know how to make it stop."

After another round of laughter, Tonks gave Lily a grateful hug.

"That was genius," Elise praised. "You invented your own charm? That's seriously complicated magic!"

Lily shrugged. "I had some time on my hands over the summer."

It was several minutes before Professor McGonagall, who was leading the sorting, could get the other students to stop laughing. After Bellatrix's quick departure, the rest of the sorting progressed uneventfully. After the last first year, Arthur Zion, was sorted into Slytherin, an extravagant feast appeared on each of the house tables.

Joyous sounds filled the hall as students loaded their plates and goblets with all they could eat and drink. Lily couldn't help glancing down the table to see James shoving a massive fork-full of pumpkin pie into his mouth. An overly dramatic look of pleasure spread across his face, and Lily couldn't hold back a smile at the sight of it.

"What are you looking at Lily?" Elise teased with an annoyingly knowing smirk.

"Oh, come off it El," Lily rolled her eyes at her friend.

"Come on, just tell me what happened between the two of you!"

"Later!" Lily snapped for the third time that day. Feeling instantly guilty for her harsh tone, she added, "Tell me about your summer. Besides the week I spent at your house last month, I hardly know what's been going on in your life."

After consuming approximately half of her body weight in rich and buttery foods, Lily felt drowsy and full. She was desperate to find her cozy four-poster bed waiting for her up in the Gryffindor tower, and was relieved when Professor Dumbledore finally dismissed them from the feast.

Despite her protesting stomach, Lily rose quickly to lead the other Gryffindors up to their common room. As she pushed open the large double doors of the Great Hall, she was overcome by the high-pitched, sing-song cackle of Peeves the poltergeist.

Lily opened her mouth to scold him, but was instantly silenced by the words of his song.

"James and Lily Potter

Went to the altar

Said 'I do'

Now their marriage is pooooo!"

Students poured out around Lily as she stood frozen in shock. Peeves continued to screech his song as he flew circles over their heads. Lily felt the eyes of her classmates upon her. She heard their laughter and jeers. She even saw that some had the audacity to point at her. Yet, she could not will herself to move. Her feet felt rooted to the ground while her cheeks burned red and hot.

Elise appeared next to Lily. "What's everyone laughing at?"

Lily didn't need to respond. Peeves broke out into another round of song just above their heads.

"WHAT?" Elise shouted. "YOU AND JAMES GOT MARRIED?"