Chapter 3: Stop Throwing Paper at Me!
The next morning at Hogwarts, Lily felt a renewed sense of purpose as she prepared for the day. She knew she had to find the first-year Slytherin girl, Lavinia, and return her diary. But first, she had to muster up the courage to approach the Slytherin table.
After getting ready and putting on her Gryffindor robes, she walked down the staircase to the common room. It was a bustling morning with students preparing for the day ahead. She exchanged greetings with her friends and noticed Alice reading a book in a corner.
Jada approached her with a warm smile. "Morning, Lily. You look determined today. What's on your mind?"
"I need to find Lavinia, that first-year Slytherin girl whose diary the boys were making fun of yesterday. I want to return it to her," Lily replied, her resolve unwavering.
Mary chimed in, "That's a noble quest, Lily. We're with you."
"Thanks," Lily said with gratitude.
With her friends' support, she walked toward the Great Hall. Her heart pounded in her chest as she approached the Slytherin table. The atmosphere around the Slytherins was a bit tense, and many of them eyed her warily.
She spotted Severus Snape sitting at the far end of the table. He looked different from the boy she had known for years. His dark, greasy hair was now neatly combed, and he had adopted the traditional Slytherin uniform. They made eye contact, and a mixture of surprise and guilt passed over his face.
Lily took a deep breath and approached Severus. "Morning."
Severus stood up from his seat as he spoke. "Nice to see you." Lily could almost see a smile forming on his lips momentarily.
"Sev, we haven't really spoken since we got here. What's going on?" Lily questioned.
Severus shifted on his feet, his eyes avoiding her gaze. "Lily, I've been busy, you know? Making new friends, learning the ropes of Slytherin House. It's a different world here."
Lily felt a pang of disappointment. They had been inseparable back in Spinner's End, and now he seemed distant. "You could have at least said hello."
Severus sighed. "I'm sorry, Lily. I promise I'll make it up to you. We'll hang out soon, just like old times."
Lily couldn't help but feel there was something he wasn't telling her. She knew he had befriended some new Slytherins, but their presence behind him was unsettling. A group of boys, including the creepy Evan Rosier from the train, sat smirking and whispering behind Severus, as if to mock him.
Lily decided to cut to the chase. "Anyway, I'm looking for a first-year Slytherin girl named Lavinia. Do you know where I can find her?"
Severus hesitated for a moment, and Lily could see him exchange glances with his new friends. Finally, he nodded towards the entrance of the Great Hall.
Lily followed his gaze and spotted a small group of Slytherins who had cornered a girl who was much smaller and younger than them. She had puffy eyes from crying, and it was clear that she was the one Lily was looking for.
Without wasting a second, Lily rushed to the group and stood in front of them, her expression stern. "What's going on here? Why are you bothering her?"
The Slytherins exchanged glances, and one of them, a tall girl with raven black hair, scoffed. "What's it to you, Gryffindor? This is Slytherin business."
Lily didn't back down. "I don't care what House she's in. No one should be treated this way. Now, step away."
The group, reluctant to back down entirely, exchanged defiant glances among themselves. One of the girls with long, blonde hair, with a smirk on her face, stepped closer to Lily and muttered under her breath, "Gryffindors always meddling where they don't belong." She then looked at the first girl with raven black hair. "C'mon Emma, let's leave the two scum alone."
Their laughter was cold and derisive, as they clearly enjoyed trying to insult others. Lily felt a surge of anger but didn't let it show. She maintained her composure and stared them down.
The group reluctantly dispersed, still sneering and casting mocking glances at Lily and Lavinia. She turned to the girl, who was clearly distraught. Her eyes were red from crying, but she had a defiant look in her eyes.
Lily handed the diary to Lavinia. "Is this yours? I believe it was misplaced."
Lavinia took the diary and wiped away her tears. She sneered at Lily in a typical Slytherin fashion. "What, the great Gryffindor saviour here to rescue me? Thanks for nothing."
Lily wasn't perturbed by the girl's attitude; she hadn't expected gratitude. "I don't expect thanks. I just don't like seeing someone picked on."
Lavinia's expression softened for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure and turned away. Lily knew this would be the typical Slytherin response.
She sighed and headed back to the Gryffindor table, where her friends were.
Jada asked, "Did you find her? Is she okay?"
Lily nodded. "Yeah, she's fine. A bit feisty, but she's all right."
Alice added, "You did the right thing, Lily. Don't let their sneers bother you."
Mary looked at their classroom schedule for the day. "Now, let's focus on our classes. Today, we have Astronomy first thing in the morning. Lily, you love Astronomy, don't you?"
Lily's eyes lit up as she thought about the class. It was the only subject so far with a direct equivalent in the Muggle world. "I do! It's one of the subjects my mother and I used to discuss a lot. It's like a connection to her." And my petulant sister, she thought inwardly.
As they finished their breakfast, they were excited to start the day with Astronomy, wondering what awaited them at the legendary Tower.
However, their excitement was short-lived as the Great Hall doors swung open to reveal James Potter and his companions. James's arrogant and annoying demeanour was on full display as he walked into the hall.
"Good morning, everyone!" James greeted the Gryffindor table with a charming smirk, projecting his voice to ensure everyone's attention. "In case your dreary lives ever lack luster, rest assured that James Potter is here to grace you with a touch of his brilliance."
Mary rolled her eyes. "He never misses an opportunity to show off, does he?"
Jada added, "You'd think he'd be tired of it by now."
Lily couldn't help but sigh.
Once breakfast was over, Lily, Mary, Jada, and Alice made their way to the Astronomy Tower. The crisp morning air and the view of the stars twinkling above them filled Lily with a sense of wonder. She wondered wether her knowledge of constellations and the night sky from her Muggle background might allow for answering questions with ease. Regardless, she loved the idea of applying her Muggle knowledge to her magical education.
She already felt right at home in the classroom.
They found Professor Sinistra, the Astronomy teacher, setting up telescopes. Her silver hair shone brightly in the morning light, and she greeted the students warmly.
"Good morning, class. Welcome to your first Astronomy lesson," she said, her voice carrying an air of serene knowledge. "Today, we'll begin by studying the different constellations and how they are used in magical practices. Over the next few weeks, our lessons will take place at midnight, and we will use telescopes to observe the night sky."
As Professor Sinistra delved into the subject, her soothing voice took on a mesmerising quality. She explained the history and significance of constellations, emphasising their role in the magical world. The idea that the stars held secrets and power was enthralling to Lily.
"Can anyone name a constellation?" Professor Sinistra inquired, her gaze sweeping over the students.
Lily's hand shot up immediately. "The Great Bear, also known as Ursa Major!" she answered enthusiastically.
The professor nodded with a pleased smile. "Correct, Miss Evans. The Great Bear is indeed a well-known constellation, often used by navigators and seafarers."
"It is also the third-largest constellation in the sky and the largest constellation in the Northern Hemisphere." Lily added, earning approving looks from Professor Sinistra.
Throughout the lesson, Lily was an active participant, eager to learn and absorb as much as she could about the night sky and its connection to magic. The more she learned, the more she felt like she was bridging the gap between her Muggle upbringing and her new life in the Wizarding World. Professor Sinistra went on to explain the process of charting the stars and how different star patterns influenced magical practices, especially in divination and spellwork. Lily was fascinated by the intricate connections between the celestial and the magical.
However, as the lesson neared its end and Lily was engrossed in the professor's explanation of star charts, she felt something hit her head. Startled, she glanced around to see what had happened. It was a paper ball, and her fingers quickly unfolded it to reveal a message.
The note was written in James Potter's messy scrawl. It read: "If you ever want to learn about stars, you should look into my eyes. They're full of them."
Lily's eyes flashed with fury as she read the contents of the note. She couldn't believe that James Potter was interrupting her learning experience with his frivolous attempts at flirting. With an exasperated sigh, she crumpled the note into a ball and decided to focus on the lesson.
As the class concluded, Professor Sinistra assigned a small stargazing project to the students, encouraging them to observe the sky at night and sketch a specific constellation they found intriguing. They had to work in groups of two until next week to finish the project. Lily couldn't wait to get started, and she exchanged excited glances with her friends.
After the class, they headed back to the Gryffindor common room to prepare for the day's remaining lessons. Lily's mind still wandered to the stupid note from James Potter, but she pushed it aside, determined not to let him distract her from her studies.
During lunch, the girls found themselves discussing their next class, Potions, with Professor Slughorn. Mary was particularly enthusiastic, as she had heard stories about Slughorn's connections and the opportunity to network with influential wizards and witches after their first Potions lesson yesterday.
Mary leaned in, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I've heard that Professor Slughorn has a 'Slug Club' for talented students. It's a great way to make connections for the future. I'd love to join."
Jada and Alice were also curious, but Lily couldn't help but feel slightly apprehensive. The prospect of using connections to advance in the wizarding world didn't sit well with her. She believed in hard work and merit, not favours from influential witches and wizards.
The afternoon passed quickly, and soon it was time for their second ever Potions class. They made their way to the dungeons, where the cold stone walls seemed to absorb any traces of warmth and light. Lily was a little anxious, as Potions was known for being a challenging subject, but she was determined to give it her best effort.
The Potions classroom was filled with a peculiar mix of smells - some pleasant and others not so much. Professor Slughorn, a portly man with a walrus-like mustache, welcomed the students warmly and began the lesson by explaining the importance of potion-making in everyday wizarding life once again.
As Lily diligently took notes, she couldn't help but notice James Potter and his friends seated not too far from her. James had his textbook open but was more interested in amusing his friends with silly antics. Lily rolled her eyes at his behavior, wondering if he would ever take anything seriously.
However, her irritation with James reached new heights when he knocked over a cauldron with a careless flick of his arm, spilling its contents all over the table. The class erupted in a mixture of gasps and giggles. Professor Slughorn, though taken aback, rushed over to assist in the cleanup.
James seemed unapologetic and flashed a charming grin, as if he found the whole situation amusing.
Lily couldn't contain her frustration. She whispered to her friends, "He can be so insufferable. You'd think he'd have some respect for the subject."
As the class continued, with Professor Slughorn explaining the basics of potion-making, James kept throwing sly glances and smirks in Lily's direction. It was clear that he had chosen her as the target of his playful antics.
Jada whispered back, "I think he's just trying to get a reaction out of you, Lily. Don't let it bother you."
Lily nodded, deciding to ignore James and focus on the lesson. She was determined to excel in Potions, and no amount of distraction from James Potter was going to change that.
Unfortunately, James had other plans. He threw another paper ball at Lily, and she couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration. His relentless attempts to distract her were testing her patience.
Lily unfolded the note, expecting another one of James' pranks, but to her surprise, it was different this time. He was asking her to be his project partner for Astronomy. The unexpected request caught her off guard, and she couldn't help but be a little puzzled by James's actions.
Nevertheless, she would deal with this later.
As the lesson continued, Professor Slughorn asked the students to make a simple potion using the belladonna plant. He warned them not to ingest the ingredient in any way, as it was poisonous and this would result in a slow, painful death. The classroom buzzed with activity as everyone gathered their ingredients and began the process of brewing the potion.
Lily focused all her attention on the task at hand, determined to prove her proficiency in Potions. She measured the ingredients with precision, stirred the cauldron carefully, and timed each step meticulously. The results were more than satisfying, as her potion turned out perfect.
When Professor Slughorn came around to inspect the students' work, he paused at Lily's table and examined her potion. His eyes twinkled with delight as he praised her. "Excellent work, Miss Evans. You've brewed a perfect potion. Well done!"
Lily couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. It was the first time she had received such praise from Slughorn, and it gave her a boost of confidence. She knew that hard work and dedication could help her excel in any subject, even the challenging ones like Potions.
As the class came to an end, Lily found herself in high spirits. Her anxiety around Potions class had started to dwindle, and she felt a growing sense of confidence in her magical abilities.
She decided to address the matter of James Potter's note after the class. Lily was determined to have a word with him and make it clear that his attempts at distraction were unwelcome, especially in a subject as demanding as Potions.
After Potions class, as the students filed out of the classroom, Lily made her way toward James. She approached him with a no-nonsense expression on her face, ready to address the issue.
"James, we need to talk about these notes and your constant distractions," she began, her voice firm.
James, taken aback by her directness, blinked in surprise. "Oh, Lily, I was just having a bit of fun. No need to be so serious."
Lily crossed her arms, determined to make her point. "Potions is a challenging subject, and I'm here to learn. Your distractions aren't helping. So, let's get something straight. I'm not interested in your games during class. Besides, if you want to be a good partner for the Astronomy project, you need to take things seriously."
James looked at Lily, his playful demeanour shifting to one of genuine consideration. "Alright, Lily, point taken. I promise I'll be a good partner for the Astronomy project. No more distractions in Potions class."
Lily gasped. "No - No, I didn't mean..."
She hadn't meant to accept James as her partner; she was just offering advice about taking the project seriously. But before she could clarify, James winked at her and left, leaving Lily flustered and bewildered.
Lily stood there, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She watched James disappear into the crowd of students, and it became clear that he had taken her words as an acceptance of his partnership. She didn't know whether to be annoyed or amused at the situation.
She couldn't help but wonder how she would explain this to her friends. She knew they would have a good laugh over the misunderstanding. Lily sighed and decided to seek them out after her next class to clear things up with them before word travelled.
As she headed to her next lesson, she couldn't help but shake her head and smile at the unpredictable misadventures that Hogwarts had in store for her. Little did she know, this was just the beginning.
There were things far more important and hair-raising than James Potter in her near future.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed the 3rd Chapter of this series. Leave a review, favourite or follow to story; your encouragement is very special to me!
