Cruel Summer
School had always been Lily's strong point - not that most other things she did weren't either - but she had always felt that she had a knack for studying and the like. She even looked forward to the classes in Hogwarts, she figured it was because she was a muggle-born, and the excitement of entering the wizarding world was absolute. Just the utter enjoyment she took from being in that world; it was something no-one, and especially not any pure or halfbloods could comprehend. But still, she wondered if muggle-borns felt the same way she did. In the back of her mind, there had always been something there…something telling her that the world she lived in then wasn't everything…there was something there. Maybe she had just put it down to childish adolescence but…she had clung to the hope that someday, something would express itself to her, in a way nothing else could. It was in complete surprise that she had received her Hogwarts letter…but not really…she couldn't quite explain it, but then maybe, on some level she'd always known. Maybe it was just silly, but the adolescence had won, hadn't it? She got to live in a world that only children dream of. It was her ticket away from normality that everyone seemed to live in. Her mother and father, though she loved them dearly, still fitted into that character…and her sister…well, she was just as ordinary as a door knob - and to Lily, seemed as though she had the mental capacity of one.
But Hogwarts had invited her there…her…not anyone else. It was different and strange, and Lily welcomed it with open arms. Of course, Petunia resented the whole idea of this, and still to this day made her views on the subject impeccably clear. Not that Lily cared at all, she only saw her in the summer anyway - which in that time she managed to keep a fair distance away from her. But she liked to see her Mother and Father, and these were the things that she looked forward to when she came home. And now being as she was 17, her father had suggested to her about taking her muggle driving licence in the summer when she returned. This was something else she really wanted to do, and even though apparating was fun, it wasn't something she could use when she was walking around town in the Muggle world.
However, as much as she would have liked to see her family again, there were new things now in her life, which made her want to stay. It was James, of course. What was going to happen when Hogwarts finished, and they left the school to pursue other things? It made her stomach constrict with unease and always resulted in her having to shut it out of her mind. It was not like James would want to stay in the Muggle World for more time than need be, and so this was also a factor that scared her.
She doubted in fact that he would want anything to do with Muggles, he didn't seem that way inclined…even though he took Muggle Studies. But she knew that he and Sirius only took it because they thought it would be easy, and could just get away with doing nothing. How wrong were they? And Peter took it because…well, because James and Sirius took it…that was a certainty. The subject was actually quite challenging, especially from a purebloods point of view - which they both were. Lily found the subject enjoyable, it was very interesting how the wizarding world viewed Muggles, and it was also quite amusing when she had to correct the Professor on certain things throughout the lesson. She had to wonder sometimes where the Wizards acquired their information from…it was quite astounding to hear some of the things the lessons seemed to consist of. But then again, it was a fun lesson from any way you looked at it.
Still, as in any wizarding lesson, there was still work to be done. And up to this point Lily had accepted it and embraced it - usually even delighted in it - but today, she wished she hadn't got to go to her Charms lesson. It was quite annoying to have to go to classes after a big outing the day before, and even though it was against her `religion' as a studious Head Girl…she really couldn't be bothered.
The noise of the Great Hall this morning was aggravating her, and Peter twittering next to Sirius; trying to get him interested in something he had to say, was even worse. She wanted to growl at him, or hex his mouth shut for just five minutes, but she didn't. She just stared down into the bowl in front of her, making little patterns out of the circle shaped cereal stuff that sat innocently in a pool of milk.
`It's quite fun actually,' she thought, as she made another little flower shape before it drifted apart again, `…ok, I need a hobby…'
Lifting her head out of the palm of her hand, she blinked and looked up. The sight she met was of one Sirius Black wolfing down bacon and eggs like it was the last thing on earth. She watched him perplexed, her gaze then flicking over to Peter who was tugging on Sirius' school robes in irritation.
`Sirius…Sirius…'
Sirius continued to ignore him as Remus was saying something to James that he was obviously interested in too. Snippets of the conversation were `Quidditch', `Ravenclaw' and `Arse-kicking'. Lily really couldn't be bothered to listen to them; that and the thought of having to get up to go to Charms soon was depressing her even more. It was quite unusual.
`Maybe I'm coming down with something,' she wondered, then brushed it off quickly.
Lily was brought quickly out of her thoughts as James shouted out `Ha!' slamming his fist down onto the wooden table and sending all the drinks overboard with an enthusiastic swipe of a carefully directed arm. Lily, shall we say, was not amused in the slightest, especially when the thick, stickiness that was pumpkin juice flew across her placemat and landed with a splash across her Charms folder.
`Oh, for Christ sake James, you great lummox!' she shouted at him, grabbing a cloth and mopping up the juice.
`Shit, sorry Lils,' he said grabbing a cloth on the other side of him and helping to clear it up.
`Don't!' she pushed his hand away just as he managed to pour more down the side of the table and into her lap.
The look on James' face was quite horrified as Lily growled obscenities at him for sloshing juice down the front of her robes, `It looks like I've bloody pissed myself now James, thanks a lot!'
Remus and Sirius found themselves with a nice, hard glare as they started to chuckle. Lily apparently didn't see the humour in the accident that they saw, and Sirius caught a swift kick to the shin as he continued to laugh.
`It's not funny Sirius Black.'
He grinned at her expense, `Oh, but it is.'
Huffing and pushing James' hands away from her that were still trying to get the juice from her front; she glared at the Marauders in turn. Knowing what Lily was like in one of her psycho-bitch `moods', they tried to keep as quiet as possible. However, this mustn't have occurred to the smaller of them as Peter kept saying Sirius' name, still trying to grab the wily wizards' attention.
`Over and over again,' Lily thought as she mopped her folder, which had now turned orange, `he's saying it like a bloody mantra! Ok, horrible images!'
The Head Girl fought the urge to vomit at the picture her mind made up, and continued to try and wipe the rest of the mess off her robes. It was after the next round of Peter saying it, that Lily snapped.
`Oh, for God sake, Sirius! Answer him! It's annoying the hell out of me!'
Peter jumped back slightly, a bit disorientated that the venom in her voice was aimed somewhat at him, and he turned back around to face his empty plate.
`Erm…it doesn't matter,' he whispered, his hands twining in his lap.
Sirius shrugged, bit into a piece of toast and turned his head around to face the Slytherin table. He grinned when he thought about what he was going to do. James shouldn't have given him the password to the Head Common Room and expected him not to do anything with it. He should know his best friend by now. Sirius would never pass up a chance to make himself come out as the hero…especially when it meant impressing a girl. And the girl in question was so damn hard to impress anyway that this would be something hopefully worthwhile.
Looking at her from across the great hall, he smirked, and then turned back to face his friends. His friends…minus Lily. She must have left for Charms. He snickered when he thought about the red-head…she always left so early. There was about 3 minutes left! There can really be some serious food consumption in those 180 seconds.
His mind drifted back Lily again, back to the time when they nearly had sex on the kitchen table. Sirius grinned as he thought about it, absently wiping a smudge of strawberry jam from his chin.
Mind you, it wouldn't really count as anything if it had happened. She was drunk; I was…well, sober I think…hmm…okay kinda glad it didn't happen now, but if it HAD! Then it wouldn't have counted `cause…well, nothing really counts when you're dru - when one of you is drunk…right? Hmm…
Sirius wondered what would have happened if they had had sex. It would definitely be different now. He couldn't imagine James and Lily not getting together one way or another anyway, and in a sense, he prided himself on the fact of how quick it happened. Surely, if he and Lily had actually managed to `seal the deal' as he eloquently put it in his head, it would have been longer in getting over everything. He saved them a lot of time really.
The Marauder chuckled inwardly and looked up to see Remus, James and Peter, standing up; assumingly ready to go to first lesson. Dropping a crust of toast onto his plate, he picked up his rucksack and slung it carelessly over his right shoulder. He grinned as he felt Amiya's eyes on the back of his head, practically willing him to turn around and look at her.
Heh, no way am I falling for that! That girl will have to wait!
Amiya stared down at her Potions assignment, wondering if she had gotten all of the facts and properties about `Dried Billywig Stingers' correct. She was too caught up in trying to tweak all of her writing into a form that her Potions Professor would prefer, that she didn't at all notice the black-haired Marauder who was sitting across from her.
Neither did she notice him leave.
Dullness…
What a boring old lesson…
Doodling's fun though…pretty pictures…
What's wrong with me?
Lily blinked and sat up straight. God, were today's classes going slow! Double charms this morning had been vaguely stimulating…Transfiguration in the middle wasn't that good though. They had all been asked to run through exam technique, and had been given past exam parchments to practise on. She hadn't been concentrating that hard today, that was why she had found it boring. But now…double Potions in the afternoon…that was enough to drive even the sanest person...well, `over the edge' so to speak?
It was again that she wasn't concentrating, and the fact that all the Professors seemed `exam happy' today, was really annoying her. They had gotten the idea of throwing all of the students into the deep end, and that it would actually help them. Most of them were struggling. It was kind of cruel that they would do something like this, but…that was life at Hogwarts; things weren't generally easy there.
Lily fiddled with her Goose feather quill, and filled in some of the sections on the paper at a leisurely pace. She really couldn't do it any other way. The lesson had about ten more minutes to run before it would be done, and rushing just didn't seem worthwhile at that point in time. She tapped the tip of her quill on her chin and looked around the room. It was obvious that everyone was bored out of their minds by the way they were sitting. Angela McNeal had chewed her Sugarquill right down to the sugared nib, and it looked like she was contemplating on demolishing that too. Hiding a yawn behind her hand, Lily jumped when the Professor spoke up, breaking the silence.
`Okay class, you may go. Remember to finish off that paper for homework. We'll be going through it next lesson.'
Lily rolled her eyes before packing her things away. The Professors must be really hard up on what to teach; exam papers were just like an easy option…and they were really hard sometimes.
Making her way towards the large door at the back of the classroom, she glanced at Remus and Peter. They seemed to be the only Marauders that were present that day for Potions, and Lily wondered where the other two were. It was weird seeing their empty seats at the back of the class, and she decided to ask Remus about it when they were outside. Hugging her school bag to her chest, she waited for him to make an appearance. Ah, there he was.
`Remus?' Lily said, walking towards the boy in question.
`Oh, hi Lils,' he answered, stopping and slinging his blue bag over his shoulder, `glad that's over, huh?'
`Yes,' she smiled, `I just wondered if you knew where James is, seeing as he wasn't in class.'
`Oh, yeah.' They began to walk down the dark dungeon corridor. `He's doing Quidditch practise. I thought you knew.'
`No, he didn't tell me.' She said pausing, `how come they're allowed time off?'
`Not sure…maybe they asked Dumbledore or something.'
`Yeah, could be.'
The three 7th years stepped into the Entrance Hall, most of the other students around them heading up to their Common Rooms to change, and drop all their things off. Saying goodbye to Remus and Peter who followed the others, Lily made her way over to the Library.
The large, musky room, which housed mountains upon mountains of magical books, was beautifully serene. Just the place to finish part of the Muggle Studies Assignment without getting harassed for something, or another. The Head Girl made her way over to a large table which sat to the left in the room, in a slightly darkened corner. There was just enough light to be able to see the quill hit and curve onto the parchment in front of her. It was perfect.
Dropping her bag onto the bench, she slumped into the wooden chair and tugged her school jumper over her head, leaving her in a much cooler shirt. Another thing about the Potions room was that it was so stifling sometimes. It often left her with a headache the size of Africa, especially if it was the last two lessons on a Thursday. Opening her organizer and pulling out her file, it clearly stated that this draft of the assignment was meant for third lesson the next day. It was fairly small so Lily hadn't worried about it at all. Plus, it was Muggle Studies…she was a Muggle-born…not too hard, she should think.
Gathering all the necessary pieces of parchment and her notes, Lily unrolled a blank 12inch scroll and picked up her quill. She looked at where the heading was meant to go; a little spot of ink dropping to the page as she sat; poised.
This part was the outline of the assignment. A bit more depth than just an introduction, but not as intense as the full body of it.
Looking at her notes for a second and then back to the parchment, she started to write. Thoughts, words and sentences rolling over in her mind then tumbling down her arm and out directly through the dark green ink.
It wasn't long before she became lost in the thoughts of muggles and the way they lived…the world around her filtering away.
Quidditch practise had been bad that evening. The rain was continuing to fall even when they had decided to stop, and everyone was absolutely soaked through. The pitch was disgusting; mud and water mixing up and clogging onto their shoes and robes as they landed on the ground. A couple of the girls were moaning generally about everything…and some of the boys joining along too. As the Captain, James was really meant to keep his team happy and cheerful, but seeing as the rain had done just about everything to its ability to make their practice a nightmare, he didn't see really why he should bother. It wasn't like he could do anything about it anyway even if he tried. All he did was called it a night and decided to trudge back up to the castle.
Not wanting to spend more time out there than necessary, he'd advised his team to just change and shower back in their House Common Rooms and not to use the Quidditch pitch showers. This probably made more sense anyway…the water didn't seem to be letting up, and parts of the grounds around Hogwarts were flooded already. Stay out there any longer, and they just might not get back in.
Walking back up to the castle, James wondered where Sirius had been. He had missed practice, which he never does…James actually found himself being slightly worried about his best friend. That had been another reason why Quidditch had gone badly…improvising with two Chasers wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world. Concern turned to annoyance at the lack of the three of them, and James tried to think of something more important Sirius would have to do that wasn't Quidditch. He found nothing.
He's probably off banging that Slytherin girl… a thought that greatly irritated him.
`And with the match so close! Ugh, I'm gonna kill him!'
James strode up to the front entrance; the defiance on his face clearly not having its full effect as he looked as menacing as a drowned puppy.
`They should play that Muggle music thingy for me…shit, what's it called? Erm…uh…damn it, I hate it when this happens! It had that guy in it…Fuck! I only watched it like a week ago! Oh, hold on…Mission something? Ugh, I'm so stupid…why doesn't school teach you how to remember the crap they teach you?'
Sirius snuck up to the Head Common room as soon as Quidditch practise started. Looking around the wall down the corridor before he stepped out, he made sure the coast was clear. The last thing he needed was some stupid little first year running off to the Head of House saying he was up there…snooping about. It didn't occur to the Marauder that they wouldn't have an alibi either for being up there, seeing as they were first years and should be no where near the Head Common Room. Getting the go ahead that no one was around, he carefully walked across the landing towards the painting of the obnoxious, and annoyingly beautiful Veela that guarded the entrance to Lily and James' bedrooms.
Sirius tapped the painting on the Veela's arm, and she awoke with a small yelp; fixing her icy eyes on him when she realised who stood before her.
`And exactly who might you be?' she asked spitefully.
Sirius frowned and spoke hushed; his eyes flitting down the corridor every so often, `You don't remember me?'
`Can't say I do,' she answered in a bored tone, flipping her white blonde hair.
`What?' Sirius was actually surprised; all the girls remembered him! `I can't believe you don't remember me!'
`Am I supposed to remember you? Was it a new rule that Dumbledore enforced that I didn't get to hear about until just this second?! Just because I sit in a painting all day, doesn't mean that I remember every single person that walks by! Even if that's just two a day!!'
Her voice had become gradually louder as she'd spoken to him. Sirius actually had to `ssh' her as to make sure someone didn't hear them. He sighed in exasperation.
`Look, it doesn't matter, just let me in.'
`Plus,' she added, snapping at him and ignoring his command, `what's so great about you that I would have to remember, huh? I don't see anything special!'
She had seriously crossed the line as far as Sirius was concerned, and he glared at her in contempt. `Hey! You're seriously pushing it, Veela.'
The girls eyes narrowed, and she spoke haughtily, `I'm just relaying information that I think should be known that's all…don't people say that friendship's built on total honesty?'
The sarcasm grated on Sirius' nerves and he'd never felt such anger in a short space of time before…maybe because she questioned his `special-ness'. Hmm…stupid girl…
`Can't think of a good come-back? You poor thing.'
`You better be glad you're in a frame, woman!' he barked at her.
The Veela girl hid a fake yawn behind her pale hand and rolled her eyes at a seething Sirius, `you bore me, little boy.'
`Little boy?!?'
`Well,' she said, looking down at him, `that's what you are, are you not?'
`No!'
`No?'
`No!!'
`Well, please forgive me, kind Sir! I believe I am mistaken…pray do tell me, what you are instead.'
Sirius met the girls' eyes, the amusement clearly shining boldly out of them. Sirius hated her for that.
`Floralyte,' he growled out, his jaw set and barely able to keep from saying something else to the annoying Veela.
She blinked and asked cutely, `What?'
`The password; Floralyte. Now let me in.'
`Why should I? All you've done is be rude to me.'
`Me?!?' Sirius asked incredulously, `I said nothing to you!'
`Oh, yes you did! How dare you make me take full responsibility?!'
`Because I didn't say anything to you!'
If Sirius wasn't already annoyed enough to consider doing her painting damage, he really was now.
`I haven't got time for your petty argument crap! Now let me in!'
The Veela drew back on her chair, glaring icily at him. `If you think that is the ticket to your entrance, you are sadly mistaken.'
`I don't care! I don't care if it's the ticket to any entrance…mine or whoever's!'
Sirius was too mad to catch the hidden meaning, his anger even obviating the chuckle of the girl in front of him. He stared at her in contempt, his hands balling into fists. All she did was sit there with her arms folded; and tapping her foot infuriatingly.
Bloody women! What's the matter with them?! Why do they have to be so annoying?!
`Please…' he said softly, gritting his teeth.
The girl held her hand up to her ear. `Sorry, what? I didn't quite catch that.'
Sirius paused and fumed; glaring at her. He looked down at the floor, and spoke louder, `Please?! Please, let me in?!'
`Please, what?'
`…Miss, Please Miss…'
She beamed. `Ah, see that wasn't so hard now was it?'
Sirius didn't even have the chance to contradict her as the painting swung outwards; nearly knocking him off his feet. He just tried to grab what little bit of dignity he had left and walked through the small entrance; hearing the click as the wretched girl sealed the door behind him.
James stepped into the Great Hall looking out for his girlfriend as he walked down the aisle in between the tables. Keeping an eye out for Sirius as well, he spotted Remus sitting at their usual place with a few of the other people from their house. Walking towards him, he noticed neither Sirius nor Lily were anywhere around. Frowning, he sat next to Remus; receiving a greeting from the people around them. After replying, he turned back to his fellow Marauder.
`Remus, have you seen Padfoot?'
Remus looked up; answering, `Wasn't he meant to be at Quidditch Practice?'
`Yes,' James sighed, `but he wasn't…so, I need to find him so that I can forcefully ask him why exactly.'
The boy chuckled. `Uh oh…do I sense `Padfoot torture'?'
`You are so wise beyond you're years, Moony.'
There was a pause as Remus picked up his goblet, and took a gulp from it.
`Well, I don't know about Sirius' whereabouts, but I do know that Lily was looking for you.'
James sat up. `Oh?'
`Yeah, I told her you had Practice. I think she went into the Library…that's where she seemed to be headed.'
`Thanks, Moony,' James said, standing up, `I'll catch you later. If you see Sirius, tell him I'm looking for him.'
`Okay.'
Remus turned back to the current conversation between the people at the table as James walked towards, and out of, the double doors.
Dear God, my brain hurts now…ugh…
Lily dropped her quill back into her quill-case and leant back against the chair that she was sitting in. Writing up the Muggle Studies assignment had been fairly reasonable for the first 20 minutes…but as the time had passed it had become increasingly tiring and brain-numbingly dull. It took her a good more 20 minutes trying to decipher what exactly the books were saying, as a lot of them were complete and utter bullshit to say the least. She'd found it amusing that other obvious Muggleborns had read these books and also found them to be utterly stupid. Lily knew this because she'd found little notes in the margin where people had written. Most of the notes weren't really things that she would willingly repeat to anyone else. It seemed that some people became quite passionate about the fact that the wizards had said something wrong about the Muggle community. It was fun to read them though. Students had even replied to some of comments; agreeing that the wizards that had written this were complete and utter shithea…
Lily closed the book fast, paused and then laughed to herself.
Picking up the rest of the books that lay on her desk, she placed them back on their appropriate shelves and went back to shove her things in her bag. Placing the just-worked-on parchment in a little more carefully and fastening her bag, she slung it over her shoulder and walked towards the door. Reaching it, she pushed hard against the heavy wood.
So hard, that she felt it slam into the person that was walking the other way.
Lily paused from shock. Oh my God!
She wrenched the door back open quickly and found the person she would least like to hit with a big, oak, library door.
`James!' Lily gasped, clasping her hand over her mouth, `Oh God! I'm so sorry!'
`I came to look for you,' he said slowly, holding his forehead and then grinning. `Now; I wish I kinda hadn't…'
`I'm so sorry!' she said rapidly, reaching up to move his hand, `Oh shit, I'm so sorry.'
James laughed, taking her hand in his and kissing the palm. `Lil, it's okay. I'm fine.'
`No, you're not fine!' Lily answered; earning a roll of the eyes from her boyfriend, `we should go to Miss Pomfrey!'
James shook his head, wincing mentally, `Lily. No. I'm fine. I promise. I don't need to see her.'
Lily's features hardened, and she gave him The Look. `You have a gash in your head, you idiot.'
`Just put it down to Quidditch or something,' he answered, grinning boyishly, `plus…I don't want everyone knowing that my girlfriend beats me up…'
But instead of lightening the situation up, James managed to make it worse. Her eyes flared.
`James Potter, I did nothing of the sort! It was an accident! It wasn't like I got up this morning and thought `Hmm, I wonder what will make today more interesting…oh I know! I'll just blow a hole in my boyfriends' skull!!'.'
James went into hysterics at her seriousness. `Lily! Lighten up. I was kidding!'
The Head Girl folded her arms and raised an eyebrow as he laughed.
`Do you see me laughing here?'
James pulled her to his arms and kissed her cheek, deliberately making it sound like he was about to bite her ear off. She began to laugh as she tried to get away; his breath in her ear tickling and making all the hairs on her skin stand up on end.
`James! Stop!' she squealed between their laughter, `you've slobbered all over my face, you sod!'
James pulled away and grinned down at her. `You know you love it really.'
Lily threw him a skeptical look as she wiped her cheek on the sleeve of her robes; him chuckling, squeezing her close to him, and making her smile. Lily looked up at him as he held her, reaching up to have a better look at his head. The cut was only tiny, and the amount of blood was minimal, but that still didn't mean that she wasn't worried. James leant down and kissed her slowly, touching her bottom lip with his tongue and encouraging her to allow him to deepen it. He could feel the stray hand used to inspect his forehead move down and around into his dark hair. She made a noise in the back of her throat and James pulled away softly, their faces staying a few centimeters from each other.
`You didn't tell me you were drenched,' she said, wiping her hand on her robes again.
`Couldn't you see for yourself?' he smiled.
Lily mock-glared at him, and replied tartly, `I was a little preoccupied by the whole head-against-the-door thing!'
`It's nice when you worry about me.'
`Well…' Lily broke off, `just be quiet you…'
She was surprised…she didn't have anything to say to that…what a miracle that was! She looked up into his cerulean eyes and glanced at the cut.
`Come on,' she said gently, `if you're not going to go to Miss Pomfrey, I guess I'll have to clean and dress it then, won't I?'
Lily took his hand and led him up the broad stairs towards the floor that the Head Common Room was on. James followed behind her, allowing her to lead him up. He grinned.
`So…does that mean…that you're going to nurse me back to full health?'
Lily raised an eyebrow as she walked, not looking back at him. `I think that you're health is perfectly fine. Your big mouth seems in perfectly good order…that usually means the rest of you is.'
James smirked and stopped her as they got onto the long corridor.
`I really think I'm going to need one of those full Muggle medical exams…Nurse Evans…you know, the ones where you have to do a physical test too…'
`Oh, you do, do you?'
`Mmm, yes…definitely…'
`You know, for one of those, you have to do an internal exam too, right? I'm excellent at those…great with a pair of pliers…especially in the scrotum area…'
James blinked. Lily smirked.
Silence…
`Want to cancel your appointment?'
James swallowed, `yes…I think that might be best.'
Sirius pulled the heavy wooden draw open with a tug and saw the plastic carrier bag. He grinned as pulled it out of its little hiding place. Standing up quickly, the bag still in his hands, he pulled it open…and smirked from what he saw inside.
It would be perfect…
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