Chapter Nine
Of Dreams, Meddling and Reflections
"Move along, you little girl."
"Ye-yes, my ladyship." stuttered a trembling maidservant, eyes flicking from that cruel, unfeeling face of Her Majesty to the polished white, spotless tiled floor in the dining hall.
Lady Evans stood, sneering at the frightened little woman currently crouching in front of her in shame, bending so low that her nose was almost touching the ground.
"No more chances will be given to you. I extended you three opportunities to prove yourself, and you blew all those three away. I've had enough of your misjudgments."
"B-bu-but Your Highness-"
"No buts, Gracy. Return to your dormitory. For the next seven days you shall be on probation."
Just then the wide oak doors opened to revel Lily's valet, clutching a rolled and tied up parchment in one hand.
"The Lord is expecting you, Lady Evans."
"Good, I'll go right away then." She turned towards her maidservant. "We shall discuss your fate further after my meeting, Gracy. You are dismissed."
Gracy took another trembling bow before Lily and then hurried off from the luxuriant dining hall for one of the many doors, presumable towards her living chamber.
Lily walked elegantly out of the hall. The various servants all stopped and bowed courteously as she walked by, but she gave them little to no attention. Her mind was currently occupied with only one thing- or rather, person- at the moment.
He stood there by the large window, tall, lean and elegant as always. His jet black hair was as messy as usual, though not wildly so. His hazel eyes, the smooth curve of his jawline, slightly crooked nose, slightly parted lips... everything just the way she remembered.
"Surprising meeting you again so soon."
James Potter grinned- the same crooked, slightly lopsided smile.
"Well, good to see you too, darling," he said sarcastically.
Lily smiled. "I never said the reunion was good, did I, Potter? I was expecting a few more days of tranquility," she teased.
He crossed the hall in a few long strides and before she knew it, he had enveloped her in a warm embrace. He pulled back slightly to stare into her beautiful, bright emerald eyes.
"I've missed you," he confessed truthfully.
"As have I, James," she replied.
Wait, what? Lily Evans missed James Potter? 'What the hell is going on?', Lily Evans - sans the Lady title, in her half conscious, half subconscious state- thought.
'It's your dream', a part of her brain said. Ah, yes, you see, she had reached the state of derangement where knew perfectly well that she was dreaming, but intended to take part in it anyway.
'But I don't want it to be that way', she argued. 'I don't... do I?'
"I can't begin to tell you how I have missed your beautiful face, my Lily."
Lady Lily smiled. "And my days were never complete without your handsome face consuming my vision."
Non-dream Lily gagged internally.
Lord Potter grinned and then slowly leaned down. Lily, eyes firmly locked with his, lifted her head up, to catch his awaiting lips in her own-
Lily's eyes shot open as sunlight filtered in the room through the slightly open curtains.
She tried to shift from her position but then realized that something was holding her back. She turned her head slightly more towards her left, to see James Potter sleeping blissfully, her free hand clutched tightly in his left one.
Lily sat up in one swift motion, comical horror etched over her face.
James woke with a start - literally. His body had been forced to yank in an upward position by the weight in his hand.
"What the- ?" he muttered groggily.
Lily, who had been trying to make sense of her incoherent thoughts, jumped in her position on hearing his voice.
"Oh - James. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." She sighed. "Weird night."
James, though still very much sleepy, stopped rubbing his eyes and looked at her, eyes crinkling with concern.
"Why? Is something the matter?"
Lily did not reply, merely continued muttering to herself. "Need to request madame Laborynis for a potion for dreamless sleep..."
At this, James laughed. Lily looked at him, half annoyed.
"What?" she asked defensively.
"Nothing," he chuckled some more. "You're a sight to see in the morning."
"Go sell tickets, why don't you?" she replied sarcastically.
"Nope," he said firmly, looking oddly adorable. Wait, what? She sighed, resigned. Her mind had obviously been addled during the course of her sleep. "Just me. No one else, love."
She rolled her eyes. "Your concern is touching."
"Why should I be concerned? You're still the same sarcastic, not-so-morning person-ish, clumsy red-headed Lily Evans."
"Your vocabulary is stipulating."
James traced a finger lightly below her chin, making goosebumps erupt on the skin he touched.
"What are you doing?" she asked, swatting away his hand with her free one halfheartedly.
"Wiping the sarcasm oozing off your chin."
"Oh, har har, Potter. I'm in stitches over here."
"See? You haven't uttered one line, since you so rudely woke me up, without sarcasm dripping off your very words."
She rolled her eyes and was about to open her mouth to respond in kind, but he had already started speaking.
"Why did you look like you'd seen a ghost, though?"
Lily rolled her eyes again. "We see one everyday, James. Magic castle, remember?"
He laughed. "Figure of speech, Lils."
"I'm impressed."
"Just following in your footsteps."
She sighed. "I had the weirdest dream in the history of... Well, the other bunch of weird dreams I've had till date. And trust me, there are many." She sighed again. "I was in this castle- and no, not Hogwarts, wearing a gown, absolutely rubbish by the way... ghastly colors." She shuddered. "Oh, and acting like a complete and utter snob, picking on a maid." She shuddered. James laughed beside her.
"And that would be the end of the world. Lily Evans, treating people like dirt? No way, you'd sooner have the Giant Squid ballroom dancing with the merpeople."
"Why so attached to the Squid, Potter?"
James turned red. "Shut up, Evans." She laughed. "I don't like to be reminded of my poor competition."
"I assure you, Potter, it is by no means poor. You're simply delusional."
"Says the girl who dreamt she was picking on someone and described it as a nightmare."
"Okay, so maybe it sounds completely ridiculous when you say it out loud. But it was still-"
"Weird?"
"Yes!" James laughed. "I mean, I was lashing out at a chambermaid for apparently no good reason- " She squinted her eyes, "- well, that's what I gathered from the otherwise nondescript nature of the random churning of my mind."
James burst out laughing again. "And that would be terrible, won't it?" he asked, eyes twinkling playfully.
"Yes!" she whined. "You don't understand; it was like- being like... Petunia." She wrinkled her nose slightly.
This time, James looked slightly sympathetic, though one corner of his mouth was still lifted upwards. "How bad is that?"
"Apocalyptic," she said seriously.
"Then I suggest we get a move on," he said, making to get up. "If the world is about to end then it wouldn't do for us to stay famished any longer."
Lily laughed.
"Well, it wouldn't do to have a growing boy miss his meal, would it?"
James' neck turned red for the third time in the meager fifteen minutes' span since he had woken up.
"I thought we had agreed to leave that behind us," he said accusingly.
"What can I do, Potter... it manages to catch up, now and then."
James rolled his eyes. "Let's just go, Evans."
"In your night wear, Potter?" she asked innocently.
"Well, not that I don't adore yours -" Lily blushed. Her nightwear currently consisted of sky clue shorts and a halfway button down, two times bigger than her size, green shirt. She tried to fold her arms over her chest, but realized - thankfully, offering Merlin her deepest gratitude mentally - that her arm was currently attached to James and opted to glare halfheartedly at him instead. "But I don't particularly fancy gallivanting around in my boxers. And like hell will I ever let you out wearing this."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I assure you Potter that I know quite a few people who would about kill to see you in all your glory," she drawled sarcastically. "And let me? Since when do I take your orders?"
"Please, Lily," he scoffed. "even if I tried I wouldn't be able to make you do something you don't want to, let alone take orders." Lily grinned satisfactorily, causing him to shake his head fondly. Of course he didn't say anything more, but he and she both knew that if anything, he was extremely possessive and protective of Lily. The though made her feel a strange sort of dread and pleasure, and she tried to push it back down to the pit of her stomach.
She sighed. Clearly, her mind was in no state to formulate coherent thoughts.
"Could this day get any weirder?"
James smirked. "Yes, it could. Coming from someone with multiple first hand experiences." She laughed. "This is a magical world, after all," he winked.
"Strange, though," James commented lightly, and Lily changed their clothes to their uniforms "Don't most girls always literally dream of... I dunno, becoming a princess and stuff?"
Lily snorted, stuffing her wand into the inside pocket of her robe. She looked him in the eye, quite seriously and said, "Such fancies are for the ones who do not have a creative enough mind." She added grudgingly, though her tone was playful. "When I was young, Potter, I wanted to be a pirate."
James looked at her for a minute before bursting out into uncontrollable laughter.
Lily shoved him with her free hand halfheartedly. "This was top secret information, Potter. Even the girls don't know this. I'm hoping I can trust you."
"Of course, you can trust me with your life, Lily," James said, still laughing, though she knew he had been quite serious. "But, seriously? A pirate?"
"What's so wrong with that?" she asked defensively. "I just loved the idea of wearing the entire... gear, you know? A pirate movie was the first one I saw, actually."
James laughed again. "I'm trying to imagine you in the whole pirate get-up." She allowed herself a chuckle at this as well, shaking her head. "We'll have to see how it looks on you, one of these days," he winked.
She smirked. "How about I change your outfit into that? I need to get back at you for changing me into a walking Christmas tree in second year anyway, and I'm still dying to see everyone's react-" James cut her off hurriedly before she could continue.
"Let's just go to breakfast."
And with that the two made their way out of the portrait hole, James walking in a rush and Lily laughing beside him.
"Ah, the royalty arrives." Sirius singsonged.
Lily groaned, as she and James sat down with their friends in the Great Hall. "Honestly, what is with all this royalty nonsense today?" she asked, moodily shoving some bacon in her mouth.
"Did I miss something?" Sirius asked, clearly amused.
James smirked. "Well, we have been having an... interesting morning."
Mary raised and eyebrow, voicing a question both Lily and James were sure had been on the tip of all their dirty minded friends' tongue.
"Interesting... as in?" she wagged her eyebrows.
"I had a weird dream, if you must know. Though, thank you for your indiscretion."
Everyone laughed. "Honestly, what were we supposed to think, though?" Eva asked, not removing her eyes from her copy of Witch Weekly's latest edition.
"Nothing at all. Just concentrate on your food, that's what you should have done."
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."
"Stuff your mouth, Sirius."
"Please, Lily." Remus looked up from the Prophet for the first time since they had sat down on the table. "You know this baboon's uncanny ability to take everything literally, and I really don't want another one of his disgusting eating episodes while I'm still trying to finish my own breakfast."
"You know, Remus, you speak like a mother."
Remus looked horrified, while the others laughed at his expense. "Wh- What? I do- most certainly do not-"
"Of course you do, Moony old pal."
He huffed. "It's a little thing called maturity, I'll have you know, thank you very much."
"Not exactly the prime candidate to be speaking are you, Remus?" Lily asked innocently.
Remus gaped. "Yes! Yes, I am! Just because I hang out with these three blithering idiots -" "Hey!" "- doesn't necessarily mean I always have to be put under the same league!"
"Traitor!" Peter yelled, scandalized.
Remus rolled his eyes. Lily, however, had stopped speaking and was staring at the Slytherin table intently.
"Er - Lils?" Mary asked.
"Hmm?"
"Why are you burning a hole in the far corner of the Great Hall?"
James looked back and saw her looking at two Slytherins who were just leaving the Great Hall.
He got up hastily, just as his friends all opened their mouths slightly, no doubt to probe further.
"We have to arrange the decorations with Flitwick before class. The man might be small but he can be pretty dangerous. We'll see you lot later."
Lily understood, nodded mutely and left the Hall with him. They walked a few minutes in silence before James nudged her gently.
"There's something wrong with those two," she sighed, jerking her thumb towards Avery and Rosier, who had just disappeared around the far end of the corridor.
"You're still thinking about that?" James asked quietly.
"Well, it's not something I can just ignore, is it?"
"I know, Lily, but I told you not to worry about it - any of it right now. Our spooking around in things has never proven to be successful, has it?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "That's because you, mister, lack a very common thing called tact."
"Sure I have loads of tact, Evans. I'm a marauder."
"Your logic is astounding-"
"Why, thank you."
" - Astoundingly stupid." she grinned cheekily. "You should wait till someone finishes their sentences, you know."
James opened his mouth, but Lily started speaking again.
"And you can't distract me from this by spurting out random nonsense. Good try, though."
"Damn, this trick always works." He sulked.
She grinned. "None of your tricks work when it comes to me, Potter. I thought you knew that."
To some it may seem like Lily had hit a soft, sore spot. But it was okay. Okay for them to talk about their past, that is. Somewhere at the end of sixth year, they had both mutually acknowledged that they had both been wrong somewhere or the other and it was best to kept the past stay where it was.
Then James had been named Head Boy and Lily had written him a letter, congratulating him. He had written back almost immediately, thanking her, congratulating her in return and asking her how her summer had been. She had written back, saying it was almost dreadfully boring. He'd replied, saying that he wasn't faring much better.
This had continued till the start of term in September.
The first two months, before this - sticky incident, had seen the two forming a closer friendship, so it was quite alright to mention their past now.
"You don't need to remind me of that. I have had enough red marks to-"
"I did not hit you, Potter!"
"Yes, yes you did, Lily," he replied cheerfully.
"Lying-"
"Many times, actually."
"Despicable-"
"You were quite the violent person."
"Abominable-"
"In fact, there was this one time, in fourth year-"
"Hold it right there, Potter. You forget that you are in no position to use your wand and I have one on me-"
"Just proving my point-"
"So you should just shut up and walk to class."
"Yes, ma'am."
Lily rolled her eyes and kept walking. She turned to look at him when he did, indeed, manage to keep quiet successfully for three whole minutes. He looked smug.
"What is it, Potter?"
He looked at her and grinned crookedly - she got a sudden flashback of the scene in her dream - and said, "I did manage to distract you, Lils."
And that was when she hit him on the head, previous assertions flying out of the window.
"Tomorrow," she said suddenly.
"Huh? Tomorrow what?" he asked, eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.
"We tail them, tomorrow. See what they're up to, as a start. Then discuss all the things that happened that day in Hogsmeade. I told you-"
"I don't want you anywhere near those slimy gits," James scowled.
"Really, James. I didn't like their conversation one bit. Whatever it is they're doing, it might be harmless. But that's a really far fetched option. And if they are up to something, then I want to put an end to it."
James sighed. "I know that. All these things that have been happening-" he sighed again -"I didn't understand them one bit either. But I don't want you anywhere near this."
"It's not your decision to make, James."
"But I want to!"
She rolled her eyes. "Seriously, James. As I said, it may be nothing and I might just be acting paranoid, but whatever it is, we will discuss it. In detail. Tomorrow. Deal?"
James caught her eye and shook his head resignedly.
"Deal."
"Now, back to your nonexistent attempt at distracting me-"
"Oh, come on! You have to agree that I-"
"Save it, Potter."
"Admit it, Evans."
Back in the Great Hall, Sirius turned to his friends, grinning like an idiot.
"Told you my plan would work."
"Which one?" was Remus's dry inquiry.
"Well," he scratched his chin, appearing to be deep in thought. Obviously, the outcome was dreadfully hilarious. "All of them are, really, how many to pinpoint?" He sighed, like a man who had completed his duty and more than those which had been required of him.
"I'm talking about the potion plan, you dolts! That brilliant piece of work? That's what I'm talking about."
"Yeah, great going genius," Isa said, rolling her eyes. "You practically had Lily in her I'm-The-Readhead-Who's-Out-For-Blood mood. How very, very brilliant of you."
"You never look at the Perks, Donaldson, that's what your problem is."
"Seriously, Padfoot. Spiking their juice with that Somainsde Maxima Timore potion was a bit too much."
"So that's what it's called."
"And I had to do all the dirty work," Peter grumbled.
"Oh, quit being such killjoys, you lot. It was for their own benefit. You'll see that, one day."
All he got in response were dry mutters of "Sure, Padfoot." and "Whatever you say, Black."
"Well, if you people are so unappreciative of my ways, then I hardly think I will confide my plans for those two for this evening."
"Padfoot, seriously..." Remus gave him an exasperated and - though he will never admit this - half cautious and half scared look.
But Sirius was already grinning.
"Oho, Lily my dear!"
Said person smiled, a halfhearted attempt that came off more as a grimace.
"Morning, Professor."
"And Potter, my boy! How's Quidditch coming along, eh?"
"Just fine, sir. Haven't had much practice in this week, but we have a practice scheduled later, this evening."
"And when would be the next one?"
James rubbed his head with his free hand dubiously. "Uh - Dunno, Professor. Two days after the Ball, most probably."
"Not the day after, then?"
Again, he looked at the Professor warily. "I... don't think so, no, sir. No one will get their carcass down the day after it anyway, and since the Ball is day after, I can't very well expect anyone to show up tomorrow anyway."
"Well, my dear boy, you won't be getting out of this one, then. I'm hosting a little get together for a select few students the day after the ball, all very casual. Would you be game?"
James tried not to grimace. "Well, Professor, don't have much of a choice, do I?" he said, raising his hand attached to Lily with a short chuckle, attempting to joke.
Slughorn laughed merrily. "Why, yes of course! How could I have forgotten? Hmm... I have to say, though... Curious bit of handiwork, whoever did it." His eyes twinkled with mirth.
"You'll have to thank Remus for that one," Lily muttered, cross.
"What was that, m'dear?"
"Nothing, Professor! Just wondering what we were going to be doing today?" she asked casually.
"Oh, well, it's a lecture day today, I'm afraid."
"Very well, sir."
Slughorn chuckled some more, before walking away, patting his stomach happily.
The class slowly began to file in, as Lily and James sat down on the third desk from the front.
"Alright, alright. Settle down, students. And Mr. Finnigin and Miss Vance, I'd very much appreciate it if you sat down on the seat and stop it with that display."
The class laughed, turning to look at the accused who had, rightly, turned bright red and were sitting down, muttering hasty apologies.
"Now, as you all know, today will not be a practical class. The potion that we shall eb discussing today, is a queer little thing called the Alihotsy Draught. If anyone could tell me it's effects and the antidote... Miss Evans?"
Lily's head snapped up from where she had been brooding in silence.
"Oh, uh-" Her eyes darted towards the board where Slughorn had, thankfully written the name of the potion. "Alihotsty Draught...? It is prepared from the leaves of the Alihotsy or the Hyena tree. The leaves, when concocted in the right proportion, can induce uncontrollable laughter and hysteria."
"Correct, right you are, Lily! Ten points to Gryffindor!" The Gryffindors all grinned at this. "And what can you say about the antidote?"
"Um..." Lily racked her brain. She remembered reading it just two days ago... The antidote was... "The Glumbumble, isn't it? It's an insect that... induces melancholy. It's also used an an antidote caused by the Alihotsy leaves."
"Excellent! Wonderful, Lily m'dear. Absolutely correct! Another ten points to Gryffindor." Half the class definitely cheered this time.
"Great work, Red." James smiled.
Lily raised her eyebrows dubiously. "Does that mean I start calling you Black, now?"
"If you want to."
"Well, I'd saved that just for night, but I guess..."
"Oh hardy har har, Lily. You're so funny." She smirked and looked at James, who was scowling.
"Oh, quit sulking. You'll get over it."
"Fine."
"Good."
"Lily?"
"Yeah?"
"Just for future reference..."
"Hmm?"
"Don't ever joke like that, again."
She paused momentarily. "Alright." It came out softer than she had intended to.
"Good."
"Yeah."
"NO!"
"Come on, please?"
"No bloody way, Potter!"
James sighed heavily. "Lily, just please listen to me once-"
"No. Damn. Way. James. Potter. You get that clear in that ridiculously small head of yours!"
"I will ignore the jibe." Lily rolled her eyes. "Please, Lily? For me?"
"Uh-no. No, there's no way you're making me go up there on this little piece of unreliable stick!"
James grasped his broomstick with his free hand and placed it near his chest.
"I really, really don't believe you just said that."
"Yeah, I really, really did say that and they really, really are my sentiments, so there is no point in trying to convince me otherwise! No, sir!"
James sighed exasperatedly. "Come on, Lil! It's just Quidditch!"
"Just Quidditch? Just QUIDDITCH? That is death on a stick! I will, under NO circumstances, leave the sanctuary of this ground! No, no way on earth! I have a very bad and painful history with gravity."
Despite the fact that he was getting late, and the team was shooting him annoyed looks, his lips quirked slightly.
"What kind of history?"
"A long and painful battle. It's been going on for many years, now. I'm yet to come out victorious."
James was laughing openly by now.
"Don't laugh, you moron!"
"What exactly do you mean, when you say... painful?"
"I mean painful," she said gravely.
"Define painful," he said, barely containing his laughter.
"Painfully embarrassing. Very, very much so."
He started laughing again. "Well, don't you think it's about time we changed that?"
"Uh... no. No way. You are not making me go up there, James!"
"You don't even have to do anything, Lil! Trust me, it's not bad. We won't be playing either... I'll just give the team directions... and occasionally holler at them, promise."
Her lips tilted upwards by a millimeter. James tool this as an encouragement and went on.
"Besides, all you have to do it grab me and hold on for dear life."
She rolled her eyes. "Very funny."
He sighed happily. "Isn't it? Now quit wasting time and just get on the broom!"
Lily gave a little nervous laugh and watched with wide eyes and James mounted the broom. Since her right hand was attached to his left, she had to sit sideways in front of him. With trembling legs, she mounted the broom in the aforementioned position. James grabbed the broomstick's handle with his free hand, leaning forward, effectively covering Lily as well.
Just as James kicked off from the ground, Lily clamped her eyes shut and buried her face in the crook of his neck, wrapping her free arm around his med-section. It did not hamper his maneuvers on the broom as he rose above steadily, save for his quick intake of breath.
James leaned forward suddenly, removing his free hand from gripping the handle to cradle her head and push it more snugly in neck (scaring her half to death; I mean, HELLO? Leaving the handle while several feet above the ground was NOT her idea of fun, no thank you!) and before Lily could grasp what was going on, she heard a light whistle go off.
Oh.
He was assembling the team.
And protecting her ears from the sudden screech.
Well, aw.
He was still a git, though. Mostly. A surprisingly less one, but a forcing-Lily-Evans-on-a-broom-without-her-consent git anyway.
But, still.
"Alright, now. Enough dallying. McKinnon and Fenwick, start with the usual Quaffle drills." Lily could practically hear the grin in his voice. Said people whistled appreciatively, obviously it wasn't the most gruesome of tasks their Captain gave them, she thought dryly.
James moved his hand from her head and grasped the handle again. Lily almost sobbed in relief.
"Thank you."
"Of course, Red. Couldn't have your hearing impaired now, could we?"
"No. Thanks for holding the damn stick currently, unwilling, carrying my person again."
James rolled his eyes. "Try not to show too much gratitude, huh?"
"Already on it, captain."
He grinned. They floated almost aimlessly, James stopping here and there to talk to his team mates.
Eventually, Lily felt comfortable enough to loosen her death like grip around his waist and actually enjoy the ride a bit. Just as her arm lost its vice-like grip, he jerked the broom to their right, sending Lily slamming back into him, her arm nearly squeezing the life out of him.
"You absolute git!" She all but screeched.
James laughed.
"You did that on purpose!"
"What?" he shouted. "Can't hear you! You want to go to a circus?"
"I really hate you right now."
"What? You really want a cow?"
She pulled a face. "That didn't even make sense, Potter."
"When have I ever made sense, love?"
Lily huffed, ready to give him a piece of her mind, but James had started giving orders to his team members again.
After about an hour, the team descended down at James' word. James looked at her and gave her a maniacal grin.
"Prepare yourself, for the best ride of your life."
"What? Potter don't you dare try anything funn- AAAH!"
James shot towards the ground, making absolutely sure that Lily was neatly tucked under the arm that was grasping the broom. He jerked his broom upwards just as they were about to crash, their feet coming to he ground easily.
Lily opened her eyes wide. "You are so DEAD, Potter!"
James only laughed. "You enjoyed that, Lily."
Lily snarled through her teeth. "Oh, yeah," she said bitingly. "Let me show you my deep felt gratitude."
"Uh, Lily? Really," he gave a nervous chuckle. "No need for that. You're happy, right? That's all that matters."
"Don't you even begin to-"
But James started running towards the castle that precise second, effectively cutting off whatever she had been about to say and dragging her behind him in the process.
"Do not think you're getting out of this, Potter," Lily panted as they skidded to a halt in the corridor somewhere.
"How about we make a deal?" he asked hopefully.
"How about not?"
He laughed nervously again. "No, really. It'll be worth it."
"It better be something great, Potter," she growled.
"Well, what if I told you that I knew what your dream meant?"
Lily raised an eyebrow, half-interested and half-resigned. She opened her mouth but James had started speaking again.
"But only if you stop doing that thing."
A confused expression graced Lily's face now. "Uh...what exactly am I doing?"
"That thing!"
Lily rolled her eyes. "Oh, that! Of course, I got it," she drawled sarcastically.
"I meant just that... thatthingyoudowithyoureyebrow."
"Sorry, what?"
James sighed, though his neck turned a delicate shade of red. "I meant, stop doing that thing you do with your eyebrow."
She raised an eyebrow again. "I beg your pardon?"
"This! This thing! Stop doing it!"
Lily smirked, raising her eyebrow up again and again, the end result of which she was quite sure would have left her looking like a headless chicken. As usual, James felt his mouth curving upwards and a chuckle escaping his lips before he could help it.
"You're crazy, you know that?"
"You're ridiculous, you know that?"
"You're maddeningly competitive, you know that?"
"You're maddeningly infuriating, you know that?"
James smirked. "So I've heard." Lily laughed.
"Why does it bother you, James?" she singsonged.
James neck tuned slightly red again. "Just because!"
"That's not an answer!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Not again, Potter!"
"Old habits die hard, love."
Lily rolled her eyes and looked at him again, expecting an explanation. James sighed in resignation.
"Ican'tdoitthat'swhy."
Lily's smirk widened now. "Sorry, didn't catch that. What did you say? You couldn't do that?"
James scowled. "Whatever, okay. I still don't understand how people can have just one eyebrow function independently," he said glumly.
Lily laughed, but otherwise saved him the embarrassment which would have been sure to come his way, had she said something.
"Anyway, what were you saying before?"
"Honestly, Lily, can you stop mocking me now?" he asked, scowling halfheartedly.
"As much as doing that would amuse me, Potter-" James sent her a mock glare -"I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about your expertise on my dreaming patterns and brilliance in decoding their meanings." She rolled her eyes.
"Oh, yes, of course! Well, it was quite simple, from what you told me, don't you think?"
"Oh?"
"Yes. Remember how I told you yesterday about- about mine? I told you that I'd dreamt exactly the two things that I feared most. Your dream is also the same. You dreamt what you fear most, which in your case, is being mean to someone."
Despite the overwhelming feeling in the pit of her stomach, Lily allowed herself a small laugh. "Please," she scoffed. "I can be mean to people."
It was James' turn to roll his eyes. "I'm quite aware of that, Lils. I was on the constant hearing end of your- um- verbal spats for four years, wasn't I?"
Lily prepared herself to roll her eyes, but something stopped her. After all, no matter what he had done, hadn't she always had a nagging sensation of guilt after their banters?
She frowned. "Well, it isn't exactly a crime to want to be nice to people."
James smiled. "Why do you think everyone likes you, Lily?"
She grinned. "Because I'm so good looking, obviously."
James, laughing, said, "I'm rubbing off on you for sure, Lils. This is definite proof. So much conceit in a single statement. I'm impressed."
"Why, thank you."
He grinned. "But what I saw- it was two things. Are you sure the only thing you saw was being rude to a helpless little girl?" he asked teasingly.
Lily laughed, but the motion stopped abruptly when she registered the first half of his sentence. The second part of her dream had been where she was courting 'Lord Potter'. She scoffed internally, but her mind was working at an impossibly high speed, deducing the possibilities in record time.
Was James actually right? She had accepted the fact about her being afraid of being unnecessarily rude to people; which, somewhere in her conscience, she knew was her biggest fear of letting people down. But then, surely, it could only mean that the other thing she was afraid of, was - she gulped- falling in love? More importantly, falling in love with... James?
The idea was so ludicrous that she wanted to laugh. To be afraid of falling in love with a person, there should be a possibility of even falling in love with said person in the first place. Surely, the idea seemed impossible.
Granted, James had changed a lot. He no longer pulled off stupid stunts on people just for the fun of it, carried out his Head Boy responsibilities quite well, minimized the usual everyday pranks and above all, stopped asking her out. The fact made her feel far more... incomplete, somehow, than she cared to admit. But, she realized, this James wasn't a new transformation. She'd seen him helping out younger students even before, tutor third years in Transfiguration last year in a secluded corner in the library(probably to avoid being seen), not to forget, he had always been there to sock anyone in the face when they said something about her ancestry. Not that she cared about it in the least, but she would be lying if she said that she didn't feel grateful.
He'd always been the way he was now, she realized with a jolt, just the hard exterior he had created when he was trying to impress her had stopped her from looking past his arrogant front. She was glad that she had come to know this side of James', because she actually liked spending time with him.
Whoa, like? And James Potter? In the same sentence? What was wrong with her? But, she rationalized, he isn't how he used to be. There is nothing wrong with liking James. But was it really that easy? Was she actually afraid that she may be starting to like this James Potter a rather too much for her comfort? Was she really afraid of falling in love with him?
No, she thought stubbornly, this is madness. Lily Evans wasn't afraid of petty things like love, for Merlin's sake! Of course, not. Just because a part of her stupid dream had probably meant something, didn't mean that the whole of the meaningless thing had to be true. But then, why did she have to repeat it over and over in her head to convince herself?
And then she just sighed and pushed these thoughts out of her mind, because they were all together too confusing and- there it was again, though she wouldn't admit it to herself, not even in her head- frightening.
When she turned back towards James, it was to see him looking at her with an indefinable expression, one side of his mouth curved upwards slightly.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Okay, Potter, I'm done with my reflection. There's nothing more to it."
James chuckled, though that look, which she couldn't quite place, still remained in his eyes.
"Well, if you say so, honey."
"Do you like your tongue, James?" she asked unexpectedly.
He was rather thrown off by the question, but replied anyway, "Why yes, Lily, I do."
"Very good, then. Call me that once again, and I'll make sure you're never able to use it again."
"But Liiily," he whined, "you can't do that! How are we supposed to-"
She clamped her free hand on his face, face slightly red. She was about to open her mouth and give him a good earful, but he pried her hand away and beat her to it.
"I was about to say how are we supposed to talk, Evans. What were you thinking?" he wagged his eyebrows suggestively.
"Wow," she started bluntly, "you just won the student of the year award for The International Gutter Institution."
James started laughing. "You can expect a treat then, Evans."
She rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."
"Honestly, you'd think I'd have gotten that into my head by now," he teased.
She rolled her eyes. "And let's not dwell on my dreams. Seriously, if I can see penguins tap dancing, which I'm sure as hell even you can't make something out of-" he laughed- "we can be pretty sure that it didn't mean anything."
"Believe what you want to, Lils. But I know that that was exactly what your dream signified. No matter how much you try to defend your unmatched benignant nature."
"And why do you think Morpheus is suddenly showering us with self-realization insinuating dreams?"
James just looked at her in confusion. "Sorry, who?"
"Greek God of dreams, Potter," she said dryly.
"God? Isn't that the term muggles use?"
She rolled her eyes. "Didn't you take muggle studies, Potter?"
"That was -" He stopped, getting slightly red. "That was just so I could learn some things... to, you know... impress you." She opened her mouth, an amused half-smile on her face, but he continued hurriedly. "That was, of course, when I was younger and stupid and -"
"I'm not going to castrate you, you know."
"I can never be sure with you, Lily. Remember fourth year? After the Halloween feast? When you threw that shoe on my head and said that you would rather be fed to a starving kookaburra than even thing about going out with me?"
She smirked. "Well, that was a long time ago, many many years ago, in fact."
"I have a good memory," he said pointedly.
She laughed. "Alright, alright... you've made your point." He grinned and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh, for the love of Merlin, can we stop discussing my violent tendencies now?"
"If you say so, love." She rolled her eyes. "What was that thing about Gads, again?"
"Gods, Potter. And yes, I was asking you -"
"I remember what you were asking me. And to answer that... well, everyone usually tends to take special interest in us, don't they?"
Lily chuckled slightly before closing her eyes and exhaling slowly.
"Okay, James. As you say." The corner of her mouth tilted upwards by a millimeter.
"Knew you'd see the light one day."
"I have to say, though. Your knowledge is remarkable."
"Was that sarcasm I just heard, Lilybear?"
She rolled her eyes. "Not going to answer. I'm sure you would have picked on on it after all these years now."
"Ah, but Lily, I merely speak with the wisdom of a boy who understands the girl."
She didn't reply, just allowed the corners of her mouth to drift up a bit further.
"Can we head for dinner, now? I'm awfully famished."
"Of course. I wouldn't dream of having a growing b-"
James shut her mouth with his free hand, sulking petulantly. Then, before she could even do full justice to her laughter, James had already stalked off towards the Great Hall, dragging a hysterical Head Girl behind him.
"Really, I ought to go look for a Glumbumble insect somewhere," he grumbled. "You're quite the hysterical loon right now."
Her only response was to laugh more loudly.
"But hey, look at the positive side," she said, trying very hard to control her mouth from tilting upwards. "You learnt the potions stuff we did today! And didn't even make a fuss about it."
"Oh, golly gee! Lucky me."
"Indeed you are, Mr. Potter."
"Honestly, Sirius, how many times have I told you to stop meddling with things that don't concern you?"
Sirius looked up innocently from the pitcher he was currently examining.
"I dunno, Moony, how many times have you?"
Remus sighed exasperatedly.
"Really Padf-"
"Oh, look! Lily and Prongs are here!" Peter cut in quite loudly, and frankly, quite unnecessarily.
Lily gave Peter a strange look as she slid next to Remus, James in tow, though still partially sulky.
She turned to Remus and Sirius. "Is he... on something?"
"Really wish that could have justified it," Remus muttered tiredly.
As the two loaded their plates (Lily doing it for James as well), Mary turned towards Lily.
"I've hardly seen you around, Lils," she said crossly. "I mean, when was the last time we actually sat and talked?"
"That would be before you decided to stick me to this ape, here."
"Hey!"
"Shut it, big boy."
"Aw, look at you two-"
"Shut it, Sirius!" This one came from about five different sources.
Sirius, predictably, paid no heed to any of them.
"So, how was you practice?"
Lily groaned. James huffed indignantly.
"It was brilliant. I don't know why you're complaining, Lily. It was loads of fun."
"Plummeting to my death is not my idea of fun, James," she replied dryly.
"Come now, it wasn't as bad as that."
"Don't you even get me started, Potter," she snarled.
"There's the fifteen year old Lily we know," Sirius singsonged.
"Knew, Black. Knew. You really don't want to get to know her all that well right now, I can assure you that."
Sirius might have whimpered a bit at the look he was receiving, though he would never admit to it of course.
"I'll take your word for it."
James was still in a bit of a sour mood. "I'm hungry. And thirsty."
"And significantly ego-deprived," Lily drawled sarcastically.
Sirius had perked up, though. "Thirsty, you say?" Remus groaned almost inaudibly, but the action went unnoticed. "As it so happens, I just managed to sneak in some exploding lemonade from The Three-"
"You were in Hogsmeade?" Lily asked sharply.
"Where else is the Three Broomsticks located?" he asked sarcastically.
"No, Black, what I mean is when did you bloody go to Hogsmeade today? You guys were with us all day!"
"Not during practice, we weren't."
"So you all went?"
"I didn't," Remus put it sourly.
"He's got his knickers in a twist, leave the poor sod alone."
"Really, Sirius-"
"Uh-huh. Later, Moony old pal. Save your grumbling for anytime after dinner. You're ruining my appetite."
Remus pulled a face. He was about to open his mouth, but Sirius had already poured two big goblets and handed them over to Lily and James.
James drowned his without giving it any thought. Lily looked at Sirius suspiciously.
"Why are you guys not having any?"
"We already did, Evans. You actually though we would wait around for you two?"
Lily shrugged, accepting the Sirius-like answer with ease. She took a few bites of her rice before sipping the drink. Sirius tried not to grin like the madman that he was, while the others chatted amongst themselves and Lily and James continued to drink.
After a while, when almost everybody had finished eating, Professor Dumbledore stood up. The hall went silent nearly at once.
"Good evening. I hope you had a satisfactory meal. I, for one, certainly did. Our friends, the elves have certainly outdone themselves today."
There were derisive snorts from the general vicinity of the Slytherin table, but no one paid them any attention.
"Now, it has come to my notice that there have been many cases of - what do they say? - ah, skiving classes, particularly among the sixth years. While, I assure you, I am well aware that this is quite a regular occurrence here at Hogwarts-" Dumbledore glanced briefly over to where the Marauders and the girls were sitting, provoking scattered laughter throughout the Hall -"but taking into account the astounding number of such cases recently, the teachers have asked me to kindly inform the sixth years that exams, covering however much has been covered in your class till now, are to be taken after two weeks from now."
There were loud groans from all corners of the Great Hall, and loud shouts of general protest. But Dumbledore raised his hand and the Hall fell silent at once.
"The good news is, that the marks will not be taken into any serious account, they will be instrumental in deciding whether the students are capable enough to carry on studying the NEWT classes that they have picked."
Further groans from the students. "Now, since classes have only just begun, the course to cover is not much. Such a thing has never happened here at Hogwarts before, but the disappearances of more and more students from the classes have left no other option with the teachers. I have to say, I'm very disappointed."
The students had the decency to not speak at least now.
"Lastly, as you all are well aware, the Christmas Ball will take place day after tomorrow. The prefects and our two Head students have been working very hard to put it all together. So if we could have a round of applause for them-"
But there really was no need for him to finish because the students had already started clapping. Some prefects got up and took a bows... or, you know, a few. James was about to get up as well, but Lily tugged on his hand forcefully.
"No chance, big boy."
"But-"
"No."
"You're such a killjoy."
"Sulk all you want."
"I will."
"Good."
"Good!"
"Why do you have to have the last word in everything?"
"Just because."
"That's not an answer, Potter."
"That's all you're going to get out of me, Lil."
She fumed.
She looks cute when she's angry with me, James thought.
"So not the time, Potter."
"Huh?" he asked, confused.
Huh! He thinks he can sit there and make that stupid kinda-maybe-slightly adorable confused face and I'll forgive him. As if, Lily thought moodily.
"You think I'm adorable, Evans? Really?"
Lily scoffed. "Please, Potter. Living in delusions is not very healthy."
"It wouldn't be delusion if you just said it out loud, you know."
"I said no such thing!"
"You so did, Lily. It's nothing to be ashamed of, really."
Really, my arse. Stupid git thinks he can outsmart me.
Back to insulting, are we?
Obviously. Wait... Why are the others looking like that didn't just hear what he said?
Me? What is she on about? And why on earth is she talking to herself? ... You're not talking to yourself, are you?
Holy Merlin. No, please, no...
As they faced each other, both with evident horror written on their face, they seemed to notice for the first time that the rest of them didn't look as surprised with their weird abrupt conversation. Sirius was clapping his hands together excitedly.
"Did I just... hear what you said-" Lily started horrifically.
"In your mind?" James finished, an equally dumbfounded expression on his face.
Bloody-
Hell.
A/N: Hello, all you lovely people! Sooo sorry for the long update. New term started and there was just so much to do; many things caught up and there was hardly any time left to write. :'(
I put this pathetic excuse of a chapter in barely two days and I felt so guilty about updating so late that I didn't have any time to proof read it. Anyway, this is what you get for now, in all my haste.
I WILL re-read the whole thing and edit it as much as I can. There are probably a few more things I would like to add... So I WILL do all that. I just wanted to update as soon as I could. I'm personally not too happy with it, but I'm going to start working on the next chapter and try to update it much sooner this time. The next one's definitely going to be much better, considering I have a lot planned for the time Lily and James can hear each others' thoughts. xD
You know, looking back at the previous chapters, I nearly always cringe. It had been the first time I'd ventured into writing something like this and I was quite an idiot back then. I'd like to think I've improved since, but there really is nothing I can say about the first few chapters. :/ :3
Thank you for all the lovely reviews for the last chapter. They were such an encouragement. I didn't get any time to reply to any of those... But I will. Did I mention I loved you guys? :')
As for this chapter, well... There you have it. Please leave a review. If you liked it or didn't... I would love it if you could just let me know. It's a big letdown when you see that people put your story on alert and favorite it, yet can't tell you what they really thought of it.
So, please please please REVIEW! ^_^
I will edit this chapter as soon as I can and your reviews always make me so happy. :') So please do so!
(I dunno how much longer I can keep on bribing you with Butterbeer. Maybe chocolate pumpkins? :3 )
Cheers,
RainHolly
