Chapter Fifteen - All About Lily, Nomomom

The common room felt strangely quiet in the aftermath of the argument, though the chatter of students carried on as if nothing had happened. James stood rooted to the spot, eyes lingering on the place where Charlotte had disappeared, still processing the tension that had unfolded. Beside him, Sirius shifted awkwardly, clearly not accustomed to the charged atmosphere.

"Should we—" Sirius began, his voice lower than usual, "I mean, someone should go after her, right?"

"I'll do it," James said, cutting him off, his tone firmer than he intended. The words came out before he had fully thought them through, and as soon as they did, all eyes turned to him.

Sirius raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. Instead, he nodded toward the other side of the room where Remus was quietly talking to Lily. "You'd better let Moony know, then," Sirius said. "And maybe say something to… her," he added, glancing toward Lily with a grimace.

James sighed, knowing Sirius was right. They couldn't exactly let Lily storm after Charlotte now, and Remus was the best person to keep her calm. So, with a quick nod, James turned and made his way across the crowded room, weaving between groups of students until he reached Remus and Lily.

Remus looked up as James approached, his expression curious but cautious. Lily, however, still seemed fuming, her arms crossed tightly across her chest.

James glanced briefly at her, then turned to Remus. "I'm going after her," he said, his voice quieter now that they were on the far side of the room. "Just… make sure she doesn't follow." He jerked his head toward Lily.

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Prongs? You seem a bit…" He trailed off, glancing back at Lily, clearly hesitant to leave her too soon. But the implication was clear—James wasn't exactly known for being the calm, level-headed one when emotions were running high.

James gave a short, determined nod. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I need to talk to her."

Lily's sharp gaze cut through their conversation. "Why do you even care, Potter?" she snapped, her frustration bubbling over. "Charlotte's always been like this—dramatic, over-the-top. Just leave her alone."

James stiffened. Her words hit like a punch, settling heavy in his chest. A protective instinct surged through him—sharper than he expected. This wasn't just about the argument anymore. He'd spent days thinking about Charlotte, replaying that moment when he called her his friend, only to make it sound like it was all for Lily. The guilt gnawed at him, relentless. Now, seeing the way Lily tore into her, something broke loose inside him.

His eyes flicked to her, and for the first time in what felt like forever, it wasn't admiration stirring inside him. It was something darker. He hesitated, but only for a second. "You know, Lily," he said, his voice colder than he expected, "not everything's about you being right. You might think you're always the smartest one in the room, but maybe this time, you're just being a bloody hypocrite."

The words hung in the air like a slap.

Lily's mouth fell open, her face twisting from anger to disbelief. "Excuse me?" she demanded, her voice sharp and incredulous.

James met her gaze, forcing a calm he didn't feel. Tension buzzed under his skin. "You heard me," he said, his voice cutting through the heavy air. "You don't get to preach about kindness and then rip her apart just because you don't like it. Sometimes you're wrong, Lily. And this? This is one of those times."

Lily's shock deepened, her brows drawing together in confusion, but there was no mistaking the blow his words had landed. She opened her mouth to retort, but no words came out, as if she couldn't believe James Potter—her James, the boy who always pined after her, hung on her every word—was saying these things to her.

The common room went still, the low murmur of conversation dying down as more students caught wind of the exchange. Even Sirius, who had been quietly lingering beside them, stood straighter, his eyes darting between them with something close to disbelief.

Remus looked up, his expression unreadable, but the tension in the room was palpable now. Lily looked like she'd been struck—her face flushed with a mixture of anger and shock, and for once, she didn't seem to have a snappy response.

James could feel his pulse racing, but he didn't regret the words. Something in him had shifted, and he wasn't going to back down. He had always admired Lily's confidence, her passion—but tonight, he saw something else. Something that reminded him of how often she dismissed her sister, of how easily she brushed aside the people she didn't understand.

For the first time, it wasn't charming. It wasn't endearing. It was ugly. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was... unattractive, in a way he hadn't expected. The pedestal he'd put her on for so long suddenly felt unsteady, and the more he watched, the faster it crumbled.

Before James could speak, Remus stepped in, his voice steady, but firm. "Alright, let's take a breath." He glanced between them, his usual calm unshaken, though his eyes lingered on James with a flicker of concern.

"We've all had a long night," he said, his voice still quiet, but carrying a deeper meaning for James. "Why don't we call it?"

Remus didn't take sides, but his words carried a subtle warning: don't make this worse, don't let it turn into something bigger. For once, it wasn't about right or wrong—it was about taking a step back, before things went too far.

Remus's calming words seemed to settle over the group, though the tension lingered like a faint buzz in the air. Lily's jaw tightened, but instead of firing back, she exhaled sharply and looked away. She seemed to bite back whatever she was going to say next.

With Remus still standing close, she gave James one last narrow-eyed glance, then turned and stalked off without another word. Alice hesitated for a beat, glancing between the two of them, before hurrying after Lily.

As Lily and Alice moved away, Remus lingered for a moment, his gaze flickering between James and Sirius, as if considering whether to say more. But he just gave James a small, supportive nod and then turned, walking back toward the others.

Once they were gone, Sirius stepped in, clapping James on the back with a small grin, though even his usual smirk was tempered. "You alright, mate?"

James exhaled slowly, his mind already drifting back to Charlotte. "I'm fine," he muttered, but even as he said the words, he knew he wasn't. "Just need to find her."

Sirius nodded, and the two of them made their way back toward the drinks table, where Peter was still awkwardly lurking by the fireplace, his eyes darting around nervously.

"Wormtail," James called out as they approached. Peter looked up, visibly startled, his gaze bouncing between James and Sirius.

"Hand it over," James said, extending his hand.

Peter blinked, playing dumb. "Hand what over?"

"The map," James said impatiently, his voice low. "I know you've been keeping tabs on her. Just give it here."

Peter handed over the Marauder's Map without hesitation, no need for an explanation—they had all agreed to keep an eye on Charlotte, after all.

James took the map, nodding in acknowledgment. Without a word, he tucked it into his robes, casting a glance around the room. The common room was still full of students, too many eyes for him to risk opening the map here. He'd need a quieter spot.

"I'll find her," James said, his voice low, as he moved toward the portrait hole. Sirius gave him a quick nod, his expression more serious than usual.

Once he was through the portrait and away from prying eyes, James ducked into a nearby alcove. He pulled out the map, tapping it with his wand. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

The lines of Hogwarts unfurled before him, and it didn't take long to spot Charlotte's dot, lingering near Gryffindor Tower, tucked away in a small, unused storeroom.

With a determined set to his jaw, James pocketed the map and headed in her direction.