The Marauders enter the greenhouse, and Professor Sprout was retelling the class how to grow and care for the Dittany plant and its uses.

"Dittany is a powerful healing herb and restorative and may be eaten raw to cure shallow wounds." Sprout was saying.

James scanned the Greenhouse and found that someone was missing. He slid next to where Marlene was standing, she seemed to think the same as she kept glancing at the door with a worried look.
"Where's Evans?" he whispered to her.

"Donno, I am waiting for her too, last I saw her was after potions when she left to talk with Snape, I thought she would be here but till now she hasn't appeared. I am worried, you know I don't really trust that Snape." said Marlene.

"Don't worry I will find her." James returned to his place and took out the map and his eyes widened when she found her dot.

James jumped and shouted "Professor I am really really feeling sick, I have to go to the hospital immediately."

"Okay" said Sprout. And James ran out of the class.

"What was that about?" asked Peter.

"Dunno" shrugged Remus.

Oh, he was so going to kill Snivellus if he hurt Lily. First Mary then Marls now Lily.

James burst open the hospital door causing Lily to jump. Madam Pomfrey came running out of her office. "What happened?"

"Nothing Poppy, sorry, it's just I wanted to check Lily Evans if she was alright." and he turned to look at Lily, who was looking angry, but James could she the hurt in her eyes.

"Okay, Potter but next time don't do this, and Miss Evans is completely fine" with that she left near a small table to examine a bird. "And our little friend is also fine, he can start flying tomorrow." Poppy smiled to Lily.

"Thank you very much Poppy ." said Lily.

"Though are you sure it was just lying there injured ?"

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey."

"Well thank you Miss Evans for bringing him here, I think thestrals might have attacked him." said Poppy and left to her office again.

"How did you know I was here?" asked Lily.

"Um ... you didn't show up in Herbology and Marls was getting worried and she told me you went to talk with Snape so I came to check if you were okay. And then checked you on map." Lily saw the concern in his eyes.

"What excuse did you made to bunk Herbology?"

"Just told Sprout that I was feeling sick." Lily nodded, she was looking at the bird now.

"So, what happened to you and the bird?" asked James.

"I don't want to talk about it." snapped Lily.

"That bad eh?" James said slowly.

"You should go back to class, now that you have seen I am fine." Lily said.

"No I am not going back, and you are not fine." said James. Lily made the mistake to look into his hazel eyes.

"Dont you see I am fine, I am standing perfectly fine." shouted Lily.

"Your eyes says that you are not fine and you are hiding your pain with anger." said James in a low voice and he moved closer to her. Lily found that he was right she has always turned her pain into anger, but how could he tell it by just seeing her eyes.

"Leave me alone Potter." she said but her voice was now low.

"You should not do suppress your feelings, let it out."

"I am not." said Lily. James got closer to her both looking into each other's eye.

"Come I know what you need." said James grabbing her wrist gently and leading her out of the hospital.

"Stop, where are we going?" Lily asked angrily but moving with him.

"Just wait."

James led her out of the castle, then little inside Forbidden Forest where there was a small open place. He let go of her hand and move ahead of her to maintain a distance from her.

"Take out your wand." said James who took out his own wand and pointed at her.

"What?" asked Lily.

"I will not say again, Evans, take out your wand we are gonna duel."

"Are you insane ?" shouted Lily, she cant think what has gotten into James.

James moved his wand and hit her with a spell, Lily was pushed a few steps backward. She immediately took out her wand, if this is what he wants he will get it, and then she started throwing jinxes and hexes at James.

James who attacked first has gone all defensive and was just trying to protect himself from all of the spells outraged Lily was sending towards her. He knew what he was doing and a smile crept on his face when he saw his plan succeeding. He though got hurt a few times by Lily's hexes.

Lily continued shooting jinxes after jinxes at James for half hour, she let out all her anger and pain in the process of attacking James, but slowly her temper calmed, and then she stopped attacking him and sat on her knees.

James moved next to her and sat beside her and then placed her hand around her shoulder.

"You know talking makes things easier, and you can talk to me." said James slowly "You try to show that you are brave by hiding and depressing your pain and sadness, you think by this you can show that you are invulnerable, but it's not bravery it's foolishness. Listen to your heart and let it all out, and I assure you that there is no one around. It's just you and me and you can trust me, you don't have to show that you are strong in front of me, because I know you are. But you have to let it all out, I will not tell anyone."

Lily sat comfortably and looked at him, and then lowered her walls and let all her feelings out with the falling tears. James put both his arm around her and she cried in his chest, letting all the feelings of Snape, her childhood best friend out. After a few minutes she stopped crying, there were regular intervals of sobbing. She noticed that her head was buried in James' chest and that his hands had wrapped her shoulder, her brain told her to move, but there she felt comfort and warmth and her heart told her its right.

"Wanna talk about what happened?" asked James in a slow whisper.

"Well when I started to talk to him he firstly didn't wanted to talk in from of his slytherin friends, then I told him that I dont like the company he keeps and about what Mulciber did to Mary, and you know what he called that? He called it a laugh ... a fucking laugh." Lily felt James palm turned into fist against her shoulder. And then loosened with one hand he rubbed her back. Lily was quite for a few moment.

"And then he changed the conversation to you and started hinting to Remus' condition, and ignored my point. Then I told him that I know about that incident with Marlene, that shut his mouth. I then put forward two choices in front of him that whether he can be friends with Mulciber and Avery and break our friendship or he can continue our friendshipby leaving them." Lily paused again.

"He then started how they are all powerful and how you know who's power is growing and those who ignores it is foolish and then he used a spell on a bird...

"He used a dark spell, which he himself invented on a bird, and ... and the poor bird...it...blood...coming out ... was in pain, cuts. He then healed the would with a counter curse." James clenched his fist again.

"And you know why he did that, he ... he thought I would be impressed with that, he thought I would be impressed with his dark spells. I slapped him as hard as I could and took the bird to hospital, he tried to talk to me but I ended our friendship." Lily let out a sob, then went silent for a few moment.

"It hurts James, it hurts to lose my oldest friend."

"I know" James whispered.

"I just hope he quits the dark arts and come to his sense." said Lily.

"Hmm, we can hope." shrugged James.

Lily closed her eyes and inhaled the woody scent.

"Thanks" she murmured not opening her eyes.

"No problem" James said and he closed his eyes too and rested his chin at her head.

"How did you find this place? It's calming, I like it far from the crowd, it's peaceful."

"We call it the Marauding Campsite. We use to do some walking with Hagird and find it, sometimes we all come here to party and enjoy. We just come here to avoid everyone." said James.

"So, this is the place where you come when you want to be away from everyone?" asked Lily.

"No, this is a Marauder spot, all four of us come here to get away from being caught and to make plans for prank and other things which could lead us in detention. So, this is not a good spot to get away as three people can still interrupt me. If I want to get away from everyone I go to a different place which no one knows about, it's a place not even the other three knows, I have kept it for myself, I used to go there a lot when I was not talking with Sirius." replied James.

"Oh"

"Hmm"

"I didn't knew that the attention seeker James Potter has a place to get away from everyone." teased Lily.

"Everyone has their needs Evans."sighed James. "I think we should go back others might be worrying." Though he didn't wanted to leave ever.

"Can we stay here for 5 more minutes, please?"asked Lily.

"Okay"

"Where were you both? We went to hospital wing, Poppy told that you both were there and were fine and had left together and James how have you got that bruise on your wrist?" asked Marlene.

"Oh! I am sorry, did I hurt you anywhere else?" asked Lily turning to James.

"No it's just a small bruise." grinned James running his hand through his hair.

"Lily you hurted James. Why?" asked Mary.

"That's a stupid question they always fight" laughed Sirius.

"Shut up Sirius, what happened?" asked Marlene

"We were duelling just for fun." replied James.

"So Evans defeated you Prongs?" laughed Sirius.

"Yes" James smiled at Lily sitting at the chair.

"Okay now Lily why didn't you appeared in herbology and did you talk to Snape?" asked Marlene. Lily didn't speak.

"Um ... Snape has chosen his friendship with Mulciber and Avery over Lily's." provided James.

"Sorry Lily " said Mary, everyone knew that Snape was Lily's oldest friend.

"It's okay, our friendship was already falling apart, it doesn't matter." said Lily.

"So, who wants to revise Tranfiguration? Because I really need to, I think I might have forgotten half of it" asked Peter and everyone agreed.

"Start Prongs" said Remus

"Start what?"

"Explaining transfiguration you dolt." said Marls.

"Its Remus' job." protested James.

"But you understand it better than me, so start." said Remus.

"Okay, but what topic?"

"Animagi, it's a hard topic and since it's introduction in 3rd year I haven't fully understood." Mary said and the others nodded.

Sirius laid back his head on the couch, and closed his eyes as he listened to James.

The classes were to end a week before the O.W.L.s to give student the time for preparation. Lily has skipped her next two Potions class by faking illness.

In the last Transfiguration class Professor McGonagall had handed the students their O. ' schedule. "The practicals will be held in morning and the theory exams will be held in afternoon. Your Astronomy exam practical though will, of course, take place at night.

"Now, I must warn you that the most stringent Anti-Cheating Charms have been applied to your examination papers, Auto-Answer Quills are banned, as are Detatchable Cribbing Cuffs and Slef Correcting Ink."

"Professor are you giving us ideas?" shouted Sirius and the class broke in laughter.

"No, Mr. Black, it's just every year seems to harbour at leat one student who thinks that he or she can get around the Wizarding Examination Authority's rules. I can only hope that it is nobody from Gryffindor." Finished McGonagall.

DEMENTORS OUT OF CONTROL

The dementors, the creatures who guard the Wizarding prison, AZKABAN. Recent reports have informed that the Dementors are now no longer under the control of the ministry. They have all gone against the ministry. Cecelia Lufkin, the Minister of Magic has appointed aurors to guard AZKABAN now.

Kingsley Shacklebolt, a ministry Auror and spokesperson has informed that the ministry id trying to get the dementors back under control and till then the aurors will guard AZKABAN.

As of now ministry is keeping watch at all the dementor movements.

"Wizarding community is requested to use the Patronus Charm if they feel the presence of the dementors, and are requested to protect muggles too from them, we are trying to convince them and we are hoping to get them under control soon" said Lufkin, the Minister herself.

In the recent week there have been three dementors attack reported with one muggle having severe damage, as of now he is being treated in St. Mungo's.

"That's horrible, now there will be chances of prisoners escaping." said Remus.

"They are four months late in releasing the news and no before the chance of prisoners escaping was there not now." James remarked.

"Yeah" Lily agreed. "I was waiting for them to release the news for a long time and they have released it now with only half truth."

"What do you mean they are late and that the chance of prisoners escaping was more before?" asked Sirius. " You know that no one has escaped Azkaban under the watch of dementors."

James sighed " They were out of control of ministry before February , the Prophet however hasn't informed that the dementors are under Voldemort's control."

Snape looked at Lily being surrounded by her friends and the marauders, since that day event Snape has felt both sadness and anger constantly. It was all because if that Potter, he thought, Lily has started all this since she has become friend with him. Snape has saw the look on Lily's face when Potter had lifted her in air after winning, he has saw the way both of them were looking at each other during the ball. Lily's friendship with him has ended after Potter and Lily had become friends. Surely Potter must have forced her to break the friendship with him.

Snape saw with pleasure when both of them were arguing with each other in the castle ground while their friends were around them ignoring it as though it was a normal thing, which it was. Snape then saw all of them started laughing at Sirius when a bird pooped on his head.
He saw as Potter put his hand on Lily's shoulder, she shoved him playfully before sitting under the tree's shade and seemed to be answering questions which Mary asked her from the book.

Next day after breakfast in great hall as they all left Snape heard as Potter asked Lily for a date, and felt happy when she put fire to Potter's bag and started moving a few steps ahead of the boys with her friends.

"You should stop asking her out mate." Snape heard Remus suggesting James. "She doesn't like it."

"Yeah mate she hates it." supplied Sirius. " And I think with you both fighting most of the time it looks as though she hates you."

"Nah, she doesn't" said James grinning after putting out the fire. " You both are oblivious." and with that he ran to catch up with the girls and put his arms around Lily and Marlene.

"What about me?" they heard Mary asked, Lily put her hand around Mary and then they all started laughing. Anger rose as Snape saw Potters' hand around Lily.

"Sometimes man I don't understand them." Sirius said.

"That's because you have never fallen in love like our Prongs." Peter said.

"And I hope I don't, otherwise my playboy image will be destroyed. "replied Sirius, putting one arm around each Remus and Peter, and laughing. "Anyway do you think there's a chance of James and Lily being together?"

"I dunno at all, they both are odd. Though I think Prongs should stop asking her out everytime." Remus said.

"What's going on between you and Mary, Moony ?" asked Peter.

Remus shrugged " I am not ready yet, with all this things." Sirius and Peter didn't speak again as they all followed James and girls out of the castle.

Snape had decided to apologize to Lily, he found her on her way to Prefect patrol, and was relaxed to find Remus not with her. He approached her cautiously.
"Lily I wanted to apologize." he said slowly.
"I don't want your apology." said Lily, she was not sure she wanted to forgive him or not.
"Please, Lily, I am sorry, I made a mistake, I want to be your friends, please forgive me." he said.
"I will forgive you if you leave those evil people's." Lily said.
"Will you stop talking to Potter then?" he asked hopefully.
"You know what, you always bring Potter into every conversation ... and if you want to be my friend again leave those evils, and I will ignore every bad thing you were part of." Lily said and left him.

Only two days were left in O. .

Snape was alone in the library, he sat on private table ,which has bookshelves both the side, it was built to provide privacy to students, he liked studying alone now. Usually Lily used to accompany him which he used to love but this year he has started studying alone. He was solving previous year O. paper which had been given to everyone by the teachers. He sat there for an hour when he heard noises. Two people sat on the table which was behind the bookshelf at his back.

"So, what should we study today ?" asked a voice , which Snape hatted the most.

"How about Chinese Chomping Cabbage? A detailed essay has been asked on it in previous year O. ." suggested another voice which Snape loved the most.

"You know these are supposed to be Potion study session not herbology," James replied.

"It is important in both subjects you idiot." replied Lily laughing "Really you should pay more focus in class."

"How can I focus in any class when a beautiful red head is sitting there?" James replied. Snape clenched his fist.

"I didnt know you liked Jack Kim ?" laughed Lily.

"HA HA HA very funny, he is in just our one class and that too divination in which I never focus, and you know very well whom I am talking about."

"You should stop doing that."

"What looking at you?"

"No, flirting."

"So, you saying I should stop flirting but continue looking at you ?" smirked James.

"You know what leave it, let's focus on study. Ask if you need help."

"I actually want to ask a question."

"Hmm"

"About that night when we were studying astronomy,." James voice was low now and Snape has to listen hard.

"You mean the night we talked about Severus?"

"Yes, that night when we kissed, we didn't talked about it and I just wanted to know was it just an accident." anger rose in Snape, she kissed Potter, why?

"No, it wasn't an accident, I wanted to do it but..."

"Did you regret it ?" asked James

"No, I don't regret it, I liked it. Did you regret it ?"

"No, it was the best kiss ever."

"Mine too" Lily said in a low voice.

There was silence for few minutes, Snape focused hard on each noise, what were they doing, were they kissing ?

" We should probably start. You ask me a question on it and I will answer it then vice versa"

"Okay, in which potion is Chinise Chomping Cabbage used ?" Lily asked

" In skele-gro"

"Correct"

"I have drank a lot of skele gro to ever forget it" James sighed.

Snape listened to them as they continued occasionally laughing slowly at one of the jokes by either of them.

After an hour they were done.

"Can you wait, I need to get some books from the library then we can go." said Lily.

"Okay, I will gather our things by then" Snape heard Lily walking away and then returning after 5 minutes.

"Thanks for waiting"

"You can thank me by kissing." and then there was a pause.

"Relax, I was just joking, Evans" laughed James. "Hey dont hit me, the book hurts."

"You deserve it" laughed Lily.

"Okay, okay now stop."

"Here carry my things as a punishment" said Lily.

" Atleast give me a quick peck, please, just to relax all the O. pressure." They went silent.

"So now are you feeling relaxed?" asked Lily.

"More than relaxed." James replied. "You go to Great Hall and I will drop our things in common room."

"I can accompany you" Lily offered.

"No you will slow me down, I will reach the Great Hall by the time you will be there."

"Okay, thanks" and they left.

Snape was angry, she has kissed him twice now. Snape collected his things and started to go to Dungeons. He was thinking of how to get back to Potter when he listened someone whistling and moving in next corridor, he looked and saw Potter moving towards Great Hall, both his hands in pocket, moving like as though he owns this place.

Snape hid behind the wall, took out his wand and pointed it towards James, who tripped and fell to grounds on his face, letting out a cry of pain, his nose broken, he got up. Snape flipped his wand again muttering a spell and James hit the corridor wall.

"Who is it ?" shouted James taking out his wand. Snape muttered another spell but it was deflected. "Oh come forward don't be a coward."

Snape moved in front of him.

"Oh Snivelly, I should have known." said James.

"Yes, after all you are the most brilliant wizard."said Snape.

"Thank you."said James and then he flicked his wand, Snape was thrown to grounds, but immediately stood up.

" You tricked Lily into ending the friendship with me." sneered Snape throwing another spell at James and breaking his shield, James was forced few steps backward.

"She gave you the options and you chose the one to end your relationship, dont put it on me." James replied.

"Liar, you talked her into it." said Snape, throwing another jinx at James which he ducked.

"What if I did ? She is capable enough to make her choices by herself, unlike you whose choices are dependent on the so called Strong people." James threw a spell at Snaoe who deflected it.

"She told you ?" asked Snape.

"Yes Snivellus, she told me about everything." replied James. So Potter has become her new friend with whom she shares everything.

Snape and James started a duel in the corridor while most of school was at dinner, except McGonagall.

"Stop both of you, fighting in corridors. Who started it?" said angrily.

"Snape started it. I was going to dinner when I was attacked twice from behind. Then Snivellus came forward. You can check his wand, the first was tripping jinx." James answered.

"Is it true Mr. Snape, you attacked first." Snape didnt say anything. "O. are at head, so I am not giving you detention. But do it again and I will give you detention. 20 points from Slytherin. Now off you go." said McGonagall.

"Where were you and why is your mouth covered in blood?" asked Peter.

"Snivellus attacked me from behind" snarled James.

"Here let me fix it, I know how to do it." said Mary and pointed her wand at James' nose "Episky ... and ... scourgify."

"Thanks Mary." James said.

"So, when are we getting back at him?" asked Sirius.

"Not now Padfoot, focus on O.W.L. now. I heard the examiners will arrive tomorrow morning." said Remus.

And they all started talking about O.W.L.

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