Chapter 12

James and Lily made their way down the corridor. James couldn't help but glance at Lily every few seconds. She was so beautiful. Especially when she smiled. Especially when she smiled at something he had said. James wouldn't trade these past few weeks for anything in the world. After six years, Lily Evans didn't hate him anymore and although they mightn't be friends as such yet, James definitely felt they were getting somewhere. He loved her, he knew that now and he also knew there was no point in denying it. He would do anything for Lily Evans.

"Come on James!" Lily called, she was already at the top of the staircase. He had slowed down as he was admiring her. He grinned a crooked grin at her as she laughed and stepped onto the first step of the staircase. Her hand reached out to the banister but it was crumbling to the ground. James' grin turned to a cry of terror as Lily and the staircase plummeted down towards the Entrance Hall.

Lily opened her eyes and hoisted herself onto one elbow. One or two people were trickling in from the Great Hall, nervously laughing. A small group were huddled near the staircase, laughing also. The staircase. It had collapsed! Lily blinked and rubbed her eyes. There was the marble staircase, perfect and pristine and still standing. No. That wasn't right. The staircase has disintegrated right under her feet and had sent Lily tumbling to the ground! Lily shook her head. She could feel no pain, there were no marks anywhere on her body. She stood up and looked furtively around her. The group by the staircase were now in hysterics, except for one. James, Lily realised. And the rest of the Marauders, who were laughing uncontrollably. James looked extremely pale.

Lily, growing angrily suspicious, looked from the Marauders to the staircase. Then it dawned on her. It was a prank. A stupid, stupid prank. Some sort of horrible illusion. And James knew about it. Lily balled her hands into fists and marched over to them.

"Relax, mate she's fine." Sirius was saying. "It was only a-" he broke off as Lily approached.

"What was that?" she screamed at them. "What kind of twisted person does that kind of thing?!"

Sirius held up his hands. "Chill Lils." he said. "It was only a prank and nobody got hurt! All's fair in love and war, as they -"

"A prank? A prank? That is NOT my idea of a prank! In fact I don't think it's anyone's idea of a prank! I thought I was going to die."

James stepped between Lily and Sirius and opened his mouth.

"No! No WAY, James Potter!" Lily interjected. "Don't even try. You were in on this. You were part of it and you let me walk down that staircase anyway."

"No..Lily..please.." James tried to say, his face turning ten shades paler and tears forming in his eyes.

"Don't call me that!" she said, her voice lowered to a dangerous whisper. "You've lost the right..Ja-Potter." Tears also appeared in her eyes.

"Lil-Evans!" Sirius said, looking genuinely hassled now. "You have to listen...You have to-"

"No." Lily continued quietly, but fiercely, stepping backwards. "No. You're sick, all of you," She added. "I can't believe I ever trusted any of you!" She glared pointedly at James and turned and ran up the perfectly fine staircase, a torrent of tears spilling out of her eyes.

James watched Lily go and collapsed onto the hard, flagstone floor. Impossibly, he seemed to have gotten paler.

"James, mate." Sirius said, gently, crouching down to him. Remus nudged Peter and they made their way upstairs. "Honest to God we didn't mean it. We didn't know it would be her. We're sor-"

"Stop Sirius. Just stop." James' voice cracked. "Can't you see what you've done? She thinks I was in on it, she thinks we've cooked up this whole thing from the beginning of term." A tear rolled down James' cheek. "She thinks our tiny, growing friendship was all an act now. She hates me. Worse than ever. I'm never getting it back, Sirius!" James stood up. "Why didn't you tell me? Why wasn't I a part of this anyway?"

"James," Sirius pleaded. "Please, listen. I know it's too late but I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. It wasn't meant to turn out like this." He sighed. "We didn't tell you because we were afraid you'd try and stop us, you being Head Boy and...and trying to impress Lily and all." Sirius looked down at his feet. James knew how hard this was for him, Sirius Black who never apologised to anyone, never regretted anything he did. James immediately softened. He gave a rattling sigh and patted Sirius on the shoulder.

"It's ok." he said. "But I'd like to be by myself for a while. Don't worry," he added as Sirius opened his mouth. "I'll still be there for the full moon." And wiping his eyes, James trudged up the stairs towards the Head's Common Room.

Lily collapsed onto her bed in her dormitory. Thankfully, the girls were at dinner. And now that she thought about it, they had probably run into the Entrance Hall when they heard that stupid staircase supposedly falling. They would've known about it all and Lily was grateful that they were leaving her to herself.

Lily sniffed and rubbed her eyes. How could she have been so stupid? A fresh wave of tears broke free as she thought about James Potter. She had been on the verge of trusting him, liking him even. She had been pleasantly surprised when he had changed, become more mature. But now she realised it was just an act. Lily closed her eyes in frustration and drifted into a light, fitful sleep.

When she awoke, a few hours later, Mary, Marlene and Alice had returned and were fast asleep. Lily got out of bed. She felt a dull pounding in the back of her head. She walked over to the window and pressed her forehead against the cool glass. The full moon was out and it illuminated the grounds below. A movement caught Lily's eye and she noticed three figures hurrying towards the Whomping Willow. One was Professor McGonagall, Lily recognised her by her tartan dressing gown. Her and another woman (Madam Pomfrey, perhaps?) seemed to be helping the other person, who had a blanket around them. What were they doing? Lily looked from the full moon to the figures and back again. Then she remembered something Sev had once said...

She was about to turn away from the window when the castle doors opened and yellow light spilled onto the grass. In a moment they were closed again, but nobody had come in or out. Curiosity rising in her, Lily grabbed her wand and hurried down the dormitory stairs.

"Ow, Wormtail!" Sirius hissed. "That was my foot!"

"Sorry!" Peter replied. "The Cloak is flapping around my ankles!"

"It's flapping around all our ankles." James snapped, it was the first time he'd spoken all evening. "We're going to have to make do!"

They reached the Whomping Willow and threw off the Invisibility Cloak. They had passed Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey hurrying back to the castle. Peter was about to transform when the castle doors opened again.

"Wait, Wormtail!" James hissed. The three of them were frozen to the spot. A small, shadowy figure was descending the steps.

"Oh no." Peter whispered.

"Is that who I think it is?" Sirius said, horrified.

James gulped. It was Lily.

Lily looked around in the half-darkness. Three people, boys, had materialised out of nowhere, just before the Whomping Willow. One of them held a silvery piece of cloth in his hands. Without warning, one of them disappeared and the tree stopped flailing around. The other two slid into some sort of hole in the ground. Lily blinked. What was going on? She edged towards the tree. Eerie sounds could be heard, shrieks and growls echoing around the roots. Lily began to back away. Whatever was happening, she was in way over her head.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a great wolf, growling and gnashing its teeth flew through the air and landed in front of Lily. Her cry stuck in her throat and she was white with terror as the creature advanced, snarling. Lily clumsily backed away from it and tripped over a rock. Stuck on her back, the wolf towered over her and she managed a scream.

Back in the tunnel, a stag, a dog and a rat were charging up the passageway. Remus had escaped, as was not unusual. They just had to get him back before he got too near the castle. Just then, a scream echoed down the tunnel. The stag turned to the dog and the rat, frozen to the spot, terror in his eyes. The dog growled softly, a warning. Another scream. The stag turned and thundered up the passageway, the dog and the rat behind it.

Author's Note: Hi Everyone! We would love feedback on this chapter in particular, so if you have even a few seconds, we'd be delighted to hear from you!