Still Febuary 13th, 1977
"And then, Meadowes gave me this look. This weird look. I fuck you not, Mates, it's like she was going to eat me or snog me, and I don't know which!" James Potter nearly shouted. His friends jumped back a little because of the loud decibel, but truthfully, they should've expected it at this point. As he relayed his thirty-five minute ago conversation the Marauders, Marlene, and her friends, James shouted several times, causing passer-byers to stare and his friends to freight. This time, there were several other reactions.
Sirius Black began to cry from laughter. Mary MacDonald let out a quiet gasp. Marlene McKinnon let out an "ew." And Remus Lupin choked on his own saliva.
"You okay, Remus?" Peter Pettigrew asked, patting his friend gingerly on the back as if he were an infant.
"I-I'm fine," he coughed, beating his chest with a fist to get the last hacks out. "Just fine."
James had a comment about his friends response, but chose to focus on his oral report first. "Don't get your knickers knotted," he said, "she just put her hand on my face. Just laid it there."
"Intimate," Emmeline muttered under her breath.
"And Meadowes was staring at me, for a solid minute," James continued, ignoring Emmeline's sass. "And then, the weirdest part happened."
'The weirdest?" Mary repeated. "I mean, how can get this story get any worse?" Even though her words were unusually harsh for the soft-spoken Hufflepuff, she meant it earnestly.
James gave his cousin an appraising look and scoffed, "Oh, wait for it." The sixth years were a part of large herd of students heading to the Quidditch Pitch to watch the game. Most were Ravenclaw and Slytherin students, cheering for the sake of their houses. There were less students from non-participating Houses, but some just enjoyed the sport. These seven were off to save a Slytherin's best Beater.
James motioned for his friends to veer off to the side. No one besides them needed to hear this.
"You're beginning to freak me out, James," Marlene said once they stopped. She looked back to see if anyone was watching.
James took a deep breath. He was about to sound a bit mental, but didn't he always? Before he spoke though, he saw the tight look on Remus' scarred face: a clenched jaw and furrowed brow.
"You know," he breathed, pointing at his best friend as if he were a ghost. "You know about Meadowes!"
"What? Wait, what?" Remus asked quickly. Everyone noticed that it was too quickly.
Sirius glared from James to Remus. "What's James talking about, Remus?" He asked in a sharp tone.
Remus eyed his friends eyeing him, and it all felt rather overwhelming.
"Dorcas Meadowes is a ligilmens," James said in a tone that implied that Remus should be the one saying it.
There was a collective "fuck" in the circle of friends.
Remus rolled his eyes, but James did have a point. He was a terrible liar; Remus kept his poweress of secrecy reserved for his own furry baggage. He could try to lie and could maybe keep it up for a total of five minutes, more likely four since there were seven of them, but eventually he would give in.
"You knew this?" Sirius accused. "Bloody Hell, Remus, don't you think that bit of information is a wee bit important?"
"Yeah," Emmeline added tersely, "We're trying to save her. Every detail about her is important."
Remus stood a little straighter and said calmly, "Actually, I do. Please share how knowing about her ligilmency skills about saving her."
"We could've thought… out-loud to Meadowes instead of trying to look for her," Peter faltered.
Remus shook his head. "No, Dorcas makes sure to keep out of people's heads. She's learned to block it out."
Marlene let out a scoff. "Oh, sure."
"Seriously," Remus insisted, "I've offered her chances on numerous occasions and she hasn't. You remember her background story?"
There was a silence, which signified a clear agreement.
"Well, she hates her ligilmens if you must know. Do you know what it's like for your parents to think you're a monster? Even if they don't say it aloud?"
His friends continued in their non-verbal cues of understanding. No one more so than Sirius. Once Remus found that his mates felt bad enough, he turned to James, "So, what'd she find?"
James, still a bit shaken by his friend's info, cleared his throat. "I'm not sure, because afterwards, she ran off."
Peter sighed, "That's no good."
"Wait, wait, wait!" Mary said as she pushed back her glasses - a tick of hers when she was hypothesizing. "This may be brilliant."
"Do share," Sirius grumbled bleakly.
"If Meadowes got into Potter's head, then maybe she saw our earlier conversation. Actually, all of yours earlier conversation. I wasn't there, but that's beside the point."
"Yeah, where were you, MacDonald?" Peter asked.
"Fucking Dearborn," Marlene replied for her friend, earning a punch in the shoulder by Mary.
"I don't know how ligilmens works, but if she got into your head, James, what says she doesn't already know about the hit out for her," Mary concluded. She looked to Remus for reassurance. "Have you talked about this with her?"
Remus bit the inside of his cheek and explained. "I'm not sure myself. We've never really talked about how it works, never really got to that part." He paused for a moment before he said haughtily, "I'm sorry, Sirius, would you like to speak up over there?"
Sirius peeked up from his staring at his crossed arms. He had muttered something crude under his breath that no one could quite hear, but they knew enough regarding Sirius' snide commentary. "Nothing, just proceed," he dismissed.
Remus sucked his teeth before adding, "Guys, she's still Dorcas Meadowes. She's by nature secretive."
"He has a point," Marlene noted. "Mary has a point too, but in the end, the possibility of her knowing everything is a long shot, aye? How well does she keep up her… er, I don't know what to call it, mental defense?"
"Dorcas calls it a wall, keeps anything from coming in. If she were to break it down, it would be like a dam breaking. That's really all I know about it," Remus said in a final tone. The guilt coiled in his stomach and noted in his throat.
"Can she know everything about someone?" James asked. "Stream of conscious? Memories? Feelings?"
"I don't know!" Remus barked. "I'd actually prefer to stop talking about this bird's secrets. If she wants to keep it that way, then we should respect it and keep it that way. I don't know about you lot, but I am going to find a decent spot in the Pitch, close to the stairs, just in case if Dorcas Meadowes does fall from the goddamn sky!" The Gryffindor turned his back on his friends and stomped off towards the Pitch, leaving the rest in shock.
"I didn't know his voice got that loud…" Emmelined observered in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Oh, Darling," laughed Sirius, "you should see him dealing with hormone fluctuation."
Before any of the girls could comment on that exceptionally vague and intriguing comment, Lily Evans approached the group. She looked back at Remus and then back at the group. "What'd I miss?" She asked bluntly.
"Let's catch you up as we mobilize," Marlene offered, still examining Sirius.
As they moved, Lily sighed. She wanted to actually get Marlene's advice about her "break-up" with Connor, but it seemed like more important matters were at hand. She trailed along behind them, snuggling further into her scarf.
"Oy, Lily, you all right?" James asked, stopping in his track to wait for her.
Lily's face flushed. Of all the people to be concerned with her right now, of course, it had to be the arse whom her current-ex was intimidated of. "Yeah," Lily nodded, trying her hardest at neutral, "I'm fine." She said it in a final enough tone for James to nod and shut up.
The voices wouldn't shut up. It was like being in the middle of Times Square, New York, and everyone had their own personal microphone. It didn't help that these inner voices belonged to people who hated her blood and guts. She was cornered in.
Merlin, I should've brought my water bottle, considered Alec Greengrass.
What if MacMillan is watching? Why would he come out to a game, he's probably smoking pot, but he's so good-looking, worried Catherine Yaxley.
I hope the buldger hits Lovegood in the nose, Meadowes should be able do that right, Lucinda Talkalot thought harshly.
Dorcas Meadowes sat on a lone locker room bench as her teammates finished up their pep rally. Her leg shook violently, and she pressed her fingers into temples. She focused harder than she ever had before; she had to re-build her wall. Brick-by-brick if she had to, and in her current state, that was her only option.
What the fuck is wrong with her? Evan Rosier thought.
Dorcas knew that the overgrown turd was referring her. She could see him watching her with a combination of disgust, irritation, and longing from the sidelines. She felt like vomitting.
"Oy, Meadowes," Rosier growled. "Get up. They're about to ring the bell."
Dorcas didn't respond, because right now, she was mentally witnessing Rosier's earlier masturbation session in the shower. Apparently, it was a ritual of his before a match.
"Mudblood, I'm talking to you!" Rosier egged her on.
Dorcas stood up sharply and glared into his heterochromatic eyes. She thought of doing a lot of things, but she was so distracted. She picked the one with the least amount of energy exertion. "Walk away," she demanded in a voice that she had not used since December 1976. "Now, Rosier."
Rosier stood up straight as if lightening had struck him. He moved robotically away with a shocked expression on his face. Once the prat was gone, Dorcas plopped down onto the bench. She wanted to hit her head against the lockers to make everything quiet, anything for just a moment of peace.
"Meadows, line up!" Talkalot shouted from a distance. "What're you doing, Rosier? Stop walking. You're not supposed to be in the front!"
It took a moment for Dorcas to realize that she was the only one left still not on line. When she stood up, she nearly lost her balance. "Fuck," she groaned as she grabbed her broom and headed towards the rest of the team.
Remus didn't greet his friends when they entered the Non-Participation section of the Pitch. He was still testy with his friends for invading Dorcas' privacy so intensely. If he thought it was so important, he would've told them.
But then again, there were times the secret was just on the tip of his tongue.
"I get why you're mad," Lily said as she slid next to him. "It was six-on-one, and that's a lot to take from our hoard of mates."
Remus gave her an appraising sort of look. "You don't think I should've told sooner?"
Lily shrugged. "We can't think about that now. You were being a good friend to Dorcas, and I certainly don't blame you for that."
Remus smiled at Lily, even though she was focusing on the pitch. She was always an anomaly to Remus. He wouldn't lie that he might've fancied Lily Evans back in their first few years at Hogwarts. She had always been pretty and clever, and, not to forget, she was rather funny. Most of all, she always managed to find goodness. He appreciated people like that.
A loud rumble boomed through the Pitch. It sounded like thunder, but it was just Caradoc Dearborn, Quidditch Announcer, testing out his vocal charm.
"WELCOME, EVERYONE TO THE 1977 RAVENCLAW VERSUS SLYTHERIN QUIDDITCH MATCH! WE HAVE MARVELOUS WEATHER ON THIS SUNDAY THAT IS RIGHT TO BE SPENT ON SPORTING EVENTS RATHER THAN TRIMESTER FINAL PREPARATION, AM I RIGHT?"
"Dearborn!" McGonagall scolded, loudly enough to be heard without enhanced vocal cords.
A loud roar boomed through the Pitch. Students from Slytherin and Ravenclaw waved their flag colors. There were decorated banners and signs for specific players; some had slogans too.
SLYTHERIN FOR THE WIN and FLY LIKE THE EAGLEwere Lily's personal favorites.
"This is anxiety-inducing," murmured Marlene, curling herself into her lap. She popped her head up to look at Lily with her big blue eyes. "What if she does fall? We have to warn someone."
"I'm not sure that a professor will believe a student seer," Lily sighed. "Maybe Dumbledore, but it's impossible to get to him now."
Marlene sat up and gazed towards the professor's section, which is directly opposite of them. Dumbledore sat in the middle, surrounded by several other professors. "Bullocks."
"LET ME HEAR IT FOR RAVENCLAW!" shouted Caradoc, causing a loud uproar from the black-and-blue section, and an equally loud booing from the green-and-silver section.
The Ravenclaw team zoomed out of the left side of the pitch. They zoomed together in a tight and neat formation, with the platinum blond Xavier Lovegood leading the way. He did a neat loop as he sprayed blue smoke over the Slytherin fan section.
Caradoc's laughter boomed through the Pitch. Mary let out an involuntary giggle, and it was louder than she expected. She peeked at her friends nervously, causing them all to laugh. However, it was not for long since the announcer called: "AND NOW FOR SLYTHERIN!"
Lily tensed as she watched green and silver uniforms fly through the air. She clenched her hands together tightly, trying to spot Dorcas Meadowes amongst the fliers. They all moved so quickly that everyone simply looked like a blur.
"There she is," James called out, grabbing his friends' attention. They looked to the direction he pointed.
"Wow," Emmeline gasped, "She seems like a natural."
This was true. Dorcas Meadowes was a natural-born flier. Ever since their first day of flying lessons with Madam Hooch five-and-half years ago, she excelled at the skill. She moved with the wind as if she were dancing with it, and made it look like Balanchine.
"She's off her game though," James observed.
"Yeah, she looks more agitated," Sirius concurred.
The others, who never played Quidditch for sport, could not see the difference. She was flying as fast and steady as the rest. The critiques saw her tense face, because normally when the Beater normally played she looked like she was taking a stroll by the lake.
"How can you tell?" Marlene asked. She turned back to look at them, regarding them like stalkers.
Sirius gave a deadpanned sort-of look. "We do come to the other matches."
Emmeline gasped again. "Why?"
"Steal, no, I mean borrow, moves from the other captains," he played off. "It's degrading to say but Vanity actually was a rather decent captain." James let out of a bitter scoff, but remained silent. His friends ignored him, so Sirius continued, "I wonder how Talkalot will match up."
"I wonder how far we're going to get in the game," Remus grumbled, rubbing his hands over his face. He wasn't as focused on James and Sirius as he was on Dorcas. His eyes darted to follow her movements as both teams positioned themselves for the start of the match. At first, he couldn't notice anything wrong with Dorcas, but after a moment, he understood. She seemed unfocused; her eyes darted cautiously.
"THE EVER-SO-FOXY MADAM HOOCH-"
("Dearborn!" shouted McGonagall.)
"-IS CURRENTLY WALKING ONTO THE FIELD WITH THE QUAFFLE IN HAND! SHE'S HEADING TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE PITCH. SHE'S ABOUT TO BLOW THE WHISTLE, SIGNIFYING THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME!"
"What happens if Dorcas really falls, Lily?" Marlene asked her friend again, this time more serious than Lily had ever heard her voice sound. "I don't know any levitation charms, and we can't catch her."
Lily's mind raced as Madam Hooch announced that she wanted a good, clean game, trying to come up with anything that would work. Here mind drew an immediate blank naturally, so she prayed that Emmeline's modesty motto was right: "The future is always changing."
As Madam Hooch blew the whistle, a lightbulb flickered in Lily's mind. It didn't stay lit, but shit, it was something.
"AND THE GAME BEGINS!" shouted Caradoc Dearborn.
"Oh, fuck," she gasped, "what's it called, what's it called?" She began tapping her foot and stared blankly, trying to go through her own memory bank.
"Do share your revelation," her blonde friend insisted, trying but failing to sound calm.
Lily let out a groan of frustration before explaining, "Snape created spells and curses of his own making."
Sirius stuck his face right in-between the two girls and snapped his head towards the ginger. "I beg your pardon?" He asked nonchalantly.
"Yes, it's this thing he used to do, and probably still does it," Lily replied, "he's good too."
"I don't see how tooting Snape's horn is going to help the dire situation," James scowled, but still concentrated on the game.
Lily wanted to glare at him, but couldn't. She refused to think about him too much, because then it would lead back to Connor. Also, she had to be focused on the bloody curse her ex-friend came up with. "He made a levitation spell," Lily whispered.
Sirius let out a low whistle as he leaned back.
"One strong enough to catch her?" Remus asked, removing his eyes from the target soaring through the air.
"Yes, yes, I think so," Lily said absently. "Ugh, what is it? Leviaramus, Levison. Oh, I should've paid more attention during Latin lessons."
"Do you know the direct translation?"
"Do you know Dead Latin?"
"In fact, I do," Sirius smirked, "and that's not just a pick-up line."
His friends let out different noises of irritation and annoyance as they turned back their focus onto Dorcas Meadowes. Lily specifically turned back inward, trying to think of her old friend while trying to save her new one.
Dorcas relayed a mantra in her head to keep the voices at bay. She sang the lyrics of "American Woman" over and over again, a tune loud enough to instead make her focus on keeping the buldger off her teammates. She had never played a match with her wall down; she got onto the team only last year when she had already built it. And now, she could see why.
"Talkalot is so pretty," Captain Xavier Lovegood admired.
"I definitely shouldn't have gotten trashed last night, there are like twelve snitches," Slytherin Seeker Otome Ogawa grumbled.
"She's going to get herself hit by the buldger if she doesn't move," Ravenclaw Beater Amin Sharma considered.
And it weren't just the fliers Dorcas could hear telepathically. No, no, Dorcas could hear everyone in the Pitch. It was like X-men's Cerebro, and it was taking everything in her power to not have a mental breakdown.
"Meadowes!" shouted Rosier, snapping Dorcas back into action. "Keeper!"
Dorcas didn't like taking orders from men, especially not racist mysognist psychopaths, but Rosier had a point for once in his life. The buldger had just been pushed out of range and was zooming back, this time towards Talkalot, their keeper.
"Fuck," Dorcas grumbled, as she pulled her weight back and changed her direction. She headed straight for the left side of the Keeper and noticed that the buldger was heading for Talkalot's shins. The captain was so focused on beating Lovegood that she barely noticed the incoming ball.
Dorcas swooped down and back up, right towards the buldger's line of projection. She timed it perfectly as she swung upward with both hands, forcing the buldger into the sky.
"MEADOWES SWOOPS IN TO SAVE TALKALOT FROM A NASTY BIT OF KARMA!"
"Dearborn!" shouted McGonagall. 'Do you want detention?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT, MA'AM. JUST BEING A HONEST REPORTER. AND THERE GOES MEADOWES, CATCHING UP TO THE BULDGER- OOH, AND SMACKING RIGHT TOWARDS THE RAVENCLAW CAPTAIN!"
Dorcas breathed heavily, hanging in the air. Although she didn't knock Lovegood to the ground, she did manage to knock the Quaffle out of his hands and into Stella Malfoy's. She smiled. Okay, so maybe this wasn't going to be so bad.
Then again, Dorcas maybe shouldn't have thought so optimistically.
A sharp pain rang through Dorcas' head, causing her to let out a desperate grasp. Oxygen depleted from her lungs, and it felt like her ears were literally ringing. Like as if she were drowning.
"AND OGAWA IS AFTER THE SNITCH, WITH FAWLEY ON HER TAIL! IT'S GOING TO BE A CLOSE GAME FOLKS… HOLY MERLIN, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MEADOWES?"
"What's happening to her, Vance?" Remus asked frantically, standing up from his seat. "It's look like she's having a ruddy seizure!"
All of the students, including the fliers, were no longer focused on catching the snitch, making points, or stopping the buldger. Madam Hooch blew the whistle and charmed the buldger from further moving. All eyes were on Dorcas Meadowes, choking on nothing but the air.
Emmeline had a hand clutched over her mouth. Normally she felt glee or pride run through her veins when she watched a vision come true. Now, she felt just shivers. "Oh, no, she's going to fall any second!" she said, grasping onto Sirius' knee.
"You remember that spell, Evans?" Sirius asked quickly.
Lily bit her lip, not wanting to reveal her own ignorance. She should've paid more attention to Snape's work, but he started creating these spells when he was going… rather dark. She just needed one word to add onto the Levi-
"Levicorpus!" She squealed, standing up and clapping her hands together. She may as well have discovered the cure to the common cold.
"What?" Marlene asked.
Without answering her friend, Lily shuffled past her lot of friends skittering towards to the Pitch's banister. She pulled out her wand from the back of her jean pocket and tested a few motions. If she fucked up, Dorcas Meadowes would splatter onto the ground like a fallen pancake.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, Lily's brain chanted as it processed the sight of Dorcas Meadowes shaking. It scared Lily even, and she worried for the younger students in the stand. What would have the past two months be like for an eleven-year old muggle-born? She shivered at the thought.
"She stopped," Lily heard someone say, but didn't look to see whom it was. And the statement was true, because it looked like Dorcas passed out right there on her broom. However, she didn't fall off like gravity would demand - she hung there for a moment before floating off into the sky.
Emmeline shrieked as did many other students. Shouts of terror rang throughout the air. Professors scrambled to file students out in an idealistic and orderly fashion as Dumbledore reached the edge of the Professor's section, watching Dorcas' body.
Lily looked to her Headmaster desperately but was met with dissatisfaction. All he was doing was just watching, as if watching the telly. How could he be so calm in a moment like this?
He knew this was going to happen, the darker part of Lily's mind concocted.
Lily decided it would be best not to focus on that, because she could not be distracted right now. She snapped her head back towards Dorcas, but double-taked at the sight of the Slytherin section. The students, in comparison to Dumbledore, had shock smacked across their faces. Slughorn tried to herd them out, but even he was too gobsmacked to do so promptly. Her eyes trailed to Snape and Avery - both of whom she was sure created this barbaric plan - and examined their expressions. Their jaws were slack and their eyes wide. Lily had grown up with the boy, and she knew when he was genuinely shocked. Since he generally wasn't excitable, it was a very rare emotion.
And this was it.
Lily's attention re-focused when silence washed over the crowd of students. She turned her head to see Dorcas Meadow fall from the gray sky. Her wand work was shaky, but managed to get out, "Levicorpus!"
Nothing occurred from the tip of the wand, causing the Ginger to curse lividly. Dorcas Meadowes was going to die right there in a matter of milliseconds. Lily couldn't bear to watch.
But, just before she hit the ground, a large white sheet flew in under Dorcas' body. It bounced her into the air and caught her again when she was higher up, so that there would be no chance for her body to hit the ground. Lily let out a sigh of relief as did many other students. She looked back to her friends. The girls held each other's hands tightly; Peter had his face in his hands; James and Sirius gaped; and Remus nearly looked like he had a heart attack.
As the blanket set an unconscious Dorcas down onto the ground, Dumbledore put the tip of his wand to his throat. "PREFECTS AND HEAD STUDENTS, PLEASE ESCORT STUDENTS BACK TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DORMS. PROFESSORS, MEET ME IN THE GREAT HALL IMMEDIATELY. MISS MEADOWES WILL BE SENT TO MADAM POMFREY'S WING."
Students watched as Dumbledore whisked his wand silently, motioning towards the sheet. It lifted her again and moved quickly through the sky, heading towards the Hospital Wing. It looked rather make-shift and dangerous, but Lily knew that Dumbledore would protect his students no matter what.
"I have to talk to her, no matter what; I'll sneak past Dumbledore if I have to." Remus rambled, tapping his foot impatiently. He stared aimlessly at the orange, red, and yellow flames dancing about. None of his friends were really listening to him anymore, and he didn't blame them. This was probably his sixteenth time mentioning his need to speak with Dorcas. He wanted to know what she knew, mainly if she knew his treachery. "Merlin, it's been hours. Why haven't they updated the students, or at least the Heads, about her status?"
"Here," offered Marlene dully, holding out a steaming mug. It was white and read, Marlene's Fucking Cup. "It'll calm you down." Remus took and mumbled a "thank-you." He sniffed it once before asking what the concoction was. "Green Tea," she said with a wink.
Remus looked at the tea again with renewed interest. "Thank you," he said, taking a sip. He let out a satisfied "ah" afterwards.
Sirius viewed the cup longingly and pouted at Marlene. "I want one."
Marlene rolled her eyes. She wouldn't indulge the good-looking idiot with a response and plopped in a chair, picking up her latest edition of her favorite music magazine.
Sirius leaned back against the couch and let out a long sigh. "I hope she isn't dead," he commented while inspecting in his fingernails.
"Merlin," groaned the blond, "does it get boring to hear your own voice constantly?"
Sirius snorted. "That's rich coming from you, McKinnon."
"What does that mean?" She retorted haughtily.
"You want to pursue the most egotistical career path known to man."
"Only a man would make art about ego."
Remus tuned out his friends' bicker-flirtation session. He didn't need to watch that. His view gazed toward Lily and James, sitting next to each other on the window's den. Another sight that he could do without. He silently slipped away upstairs, intent on sending an owl to the Hospital Wing.
"You don't look so good," James commented on the side. He had been watching Lily for a while, just staring out the window. Remus' and Lily's moods combined cast a dark cloud over the common room.
Lily pursed her lips and said, "Thanks, Potter. Your concern for me is touching."
He scoffed, "You know what I mean." He pulled out a cigarette and pushed the window door open, just slightly.
Although her head faced out, Lily's eyes peered to watch James light his cigarette. She felt her skin boil just at the sight of him. She wanted to rip him a part, just for existing to make Connor insecure of himself. But then again, even in her head, that sounded completely ridiculous.
Lily hated to admit it, but maybe Connor did have a point or two. She had never expected to accompany James Potter during one of his smoke sessions. If you had told her exactly one year ago that she'd be his friend, she would've laughed in your face before jinxing you for the thought.
Her green eyes focused on James' lips as they wrapped around the butt of his cigarette. He was growing stubble above his lip, just the beginnings, but it had a bit of potential. Another thing that Lily hated to admit was that she still remembered how the roughness against her skin when he by accidentally kissed her during New Year's Eve. There was once a part of her that believed it wasn't so much of an accident.
Was Connor a ligilmens too? How could he possibly know of her inner turmoil? She never shared it with him while they were dating; Lily knew that Connor was too insecure about Potter's position in her life. She rested her forehead against the cold glass and let out a sigh. "Everything's shite."
James blew out some smoke and chuckled, "Well, I guess it must be so."
"You're a prat," she said without looking up at him. Looking at him was too confusing.
"And that must be true too," he smirked. When Lily made a move for her wand in her back pocket, James clutched her wrist. She glared at him and did her best to maintain it. He had this stupid smirk on his face as the cigarette dangled from the corner of his mouth and his glasses a top of his head.
Lily hated him. She had to.
"Let's play," James smiled, like a cheshire cat.
"I beg your pardon?"
"If Lily Evans is fearing the worst," James sighed, letting her hand go, "then that means the world is really coming to an end."
Lily wanted to ask what that meant, but she waited for him to clarify instead.
"So, with all the shite going on in the world that us adolescents cannot control, we should play. Sound like fun, aye?"
Lily's lips came together in straight line. Even though it took her a long time, Lily eventually asked, "What'd you have in mind?"
A/N - Enjoy :) Let me know what you think!