Be Here Now

Disclaimer: Yeah I own Harry Potter… IN MY DREAMS!

A/N: Hey! I've been thrilled these past few days… because of reviews! I honestly appreciate them SO much and they really are what motivate me to keep writing.

Potterhead4eva: Thank you for both saying you love this and for reviewing! About them getting together… I'm not saying a word, just because I don't want to ruin this. But look at the pairing. :D I try to update every other day or every day on the weekends.

Neogirl31: Thank you, and I am! :D

Smileyface Devil: Thank you so much! I will!

Julyjily478: Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! It is so touching to hear someone say that I have a gift for writing. :D I'm glad you like it!

OliWest: Ah, that's just it. Sometimes I do love fluffy scenes, but for my longer stories… Drama, drama, DRAMA! :D Just thought I'd say that now. Thanks for reviewing!

And without further ado… chapter 5!

x.o.x.o.x.

Hilary jumps up. "What?" she shrieks.

"Please sit down, Miss Potter," Dumbledore says calmly.

Hilary's hazel eyes bug out. "My best friend is potentially dying in this very school and you want me to sit down?" she screams.

James stands up and steps over to his twin sister, placing a hand on her elbow. "Hils, calm down!"

Hilary jerks away from his hand as if burned. "Don't touch me! Are you trying to get me killed as well?"

"Hils, I'm your twin," begs James.

"Yeah, my twin that killed my best friend!" explodes Hilary.

Now Alice stands up, hugging Hilary. "I'm afraid and terrified too, Hilary, but please just listen to the Headmaster. You won't be helping Lily if you blow up."

Hilary stares blankly at Alice for a second, and then sits back down, dropping her head into her hands.

"I'll be going now," Dumbledore says softly, stepping out.

"You killed her, Prongs!" Sirius yells angrily.

"She brought this upon herself!" James defends himself.

Remus looks sadly at his best mate. "What happened to you, James? What's wrong with you? When did you become such a self-centered, cold-hearted beast?"

"I'm not self-centered or cold-hearted!"

"The love of your life is dying in this very castle and you're standing here arguing that you didn't kill her," Marlene says angrily, advancing on James.

"For the last time, she isn't the love of my life!" screams James.

"That's right," says a cool, collected voice from the door. "I am."

Hilary growls, wanting to pounce on the bitch. "Maya."

Maya inclines her head. "Hilary." She turns back to James. "Baby, can we go now? It would sure beat arguing with useless lumps." She glares at everyone there.

The others stare at her incredulously, and then turn to James, anticipating his response. The old James would have been fiercely loyal to his closest friends and twin sister, but the new James Potter replies calmly, "Okay."

Everyone stares after him in disbelief.

"We've lost him," whispers Alice.

Sirius nods slowly in agreement. "The only one that can bring him back is Lily."

x.o.x.o.x.

A figure watches the motionless redhead in the hospital wing. He is curtained by the falling darkness, and the hospital matron doesn't notice him. A lone tear slips down his cheek.

x.o.x.o.x.

"Oh, Lily," sighs Hilary, crying softly.

Lily lies there silently with pale skin.

Alice stares at her sadly. "It hurts."

Marlene nods quietly. "This is the same girl that went through all that, and the same girl that greeted us so cheerily that first day."

And together they flash back to that day.

Flashback

The year is nineteen-seventy-one. It is the first of September and as always, witches and wizards from all over the United Kingdom are headed for King's Cross Station. One particular redhead is already on the platform, drinking in her new surroundings with interest. Her best friend, Severus, had gone to say proper goodbyes to his mum. Her parents and Petunia had been able to get onto the platform despite their Muggle blood but were currently chatting with another Wizarding family. Her amazing emerald green eyes search the platform intently, finally landing on a girl of the same age not far from where her parents are conversing. Lily Evans skips over fearlessly.

"Hi, I'm Lily!" she greets.

The girl turns, turning her jet-black hair into a pair of wonderful hazel eyes. "I'm Hilary." The girl smiles.

"Are you a first year?" Lily questions in a friendly tone.

Hilary nods. "Are you?"

Lily giggles. "Of course! My parents are over there."

"Are you Muggle-born?" Hilary asks curiously, examining Mr. and Mrs. Evans.

Lily looks confused.

"Are your parents Muggles?"

Both girls turn to find a shy looking girl who had spoken and looked as if she regretted it now.

Lily, however, simply smiles. "Yes," she replies. "I'm Lily."

"I'm Alice," the girl replies, smiling shyly.

Once again, Lily allows her eyes to scan the platform while Alice and Hilary exchange introductions. "Oh! That girl looks so lonely! Come on!"

They skip off and stop in front of the lonely girl.

"I'm Lily," introduces Lily cheerfully.

"I'm Hilary," adds Hilary.

"I'm Alice," Alice finishes softly.

The girl breaks into a grin. "Marlene."

And a beautiful, long-lasting friendship was formed.

End of Flashback

The girls are shaken out of their reveries when Madam Pomfrey comes rushing in. She has several vials of potion in her hands and her wand.

"What are you doing?" cries Hilary, jumping off her chair.

"I just received an owl from St. Mungo's. I must try this to save Miss Evans's life!" Madam Pomfrey responds quickly, uncorking the vials.

"Will this work?" Marlene demands.

Madam Pomfrey grabs a goblet. "Perhaps, Miss McKinnon. Either this will save her life or kill her immediately."

"You can't!" screams Alice. "It's too big a risk!"

"I must, Miss Prewett. She is of age and perfectly capable of choosing. She's signed papers before allowing us to do this. Do you remember?"

The girls nod reluctantly. Most students had signed those papers on their seventeenth birthdays.

Madam Pomfrey silently forces two potions down Lily's throat, mixes the remaining three, and dabs those on every visible cut. Sizzling sounds start being heard.

x.o.x.o.x.

"Moony, where are the girls?" Sirius asks innocently as he and Remus eat lunch.

"Visiting Lily, I assume. Did you mean to phrase that as 'where is Hilary'?" Remus teases.

Sirius scowls. "No!"

"Come off it, Padfoot, you've wanted her since she developed feminine parts and decided to rebel against James's protective hold," Remus says, rolling his eyes.

"I've wanted every girl with feminine parts," Sirius protests, mocking Remus' phrasing.

"Except Lily, Marlene, and Alice," points out Remus.

"Yeah, well, we've been tight for a long time," shrugs Sirius.

"Ha! You didn't correct me and add Hilary!" Remus cries triumphantly.

Sirius glares at him. "Moony!" he whines.

"Don't deny it, Padfoot. You want her," Remus laughs.

Sirius childishly sticks his tongue out.

"Childish much, Black?" James drawls from behind.

Sirius pointedly ignores his supposed best mate and says to Remus, "What do you say we go visit Lily-petal?"

Remus nods. "Brilliant idea. Let's go."

And they leave behind one ex-Marauder and an eating Marauder.

x.o.x.o.x.

Sirius and Remus burst through the hospital wing doors just in time to see…

x.o.x.o.x.

A/N: And that's chapter five! Once again, I want at least one review for chapter six. Check out my other stories (which include two one-shots and two multiple chapter stories) and review those too! Until chapter six…

~TrueLoveis4ever