Warning-this chapter seriously incorporates some things said and momentarily forgotten in earlier chapters. In other words, if you haven't read my earlier chapters in a while, you may not understand. Skim through them again, to see what you remember.
A.N.- Oh, wow. Why is it blue? I'm sorry, I'm not sure how to change it and I want this idea out of me before bed, seeing as it's one in the morning, and if I don't get my idea's out now, they wont let me sleep. Haha. I think the sleep deprivation is making me act like this. Okay. I hope you liked the upload. And I owe an apology to gddssofdarkness- I'm sorry I never finished your thank-you I read your review, and you were the second one who reviewed wanting to read about the quidditch game, so right after your review, I tried to change it to add the match and make it fit into the rest of the story. But because of your review, I added the Quidditch part. So thank you.
Disclaimer- if I were J.K. I wouldn't have to put up such a struggle just to find a company to publish my personal works; I'd already have one. And I most certainly wouldn't be writing fanfic about my story. (Although, if anyone ever writes facfic about my other story, I may consider it. writing fanfic on my own story, I mean.) So why am I even writing this? So I don't get sued.
Sauron the Dark- Thanks, I think. I know this will sound very stupid, because most people my age wouldn't ask, they'd just assume, but I have to be sure… what does it mean to burn both ends of the candle? (Sleepy smile) Maybe I know, just not when I fall asleep at the keyboard. Anyways, inquiring minds want to know! And I can't make James crash too hard, can I? I suppose that would get me reported. But what if something drastic happened that finally made Lily realize exactly what he's doing to himself, even if it isn't intentional? And what if it wasn't James's fault, and Harry wasn't the only reason Voldemort attacked. What if Lily being an Angelinos caught Voldemort's eye, and she had a connection to him? What if James had a connection to Voldemort? What would Lily think of James then? Anyways I think now I've given away part of the story, and I'm ranting, so I'll stop. This fic may have been darker, but this is portkey, where everything is organized and everyone's happy, so I guess I'll have to find another site and this one, Portkey for good fics…that one for bad. (Two in the morning.)
sweetkiwi456- Sweet! If I come up with anything, I'll let you know! I love elves! (Sorry, I mean forest ones, not Santa's little helpers.) My stories of the same nature, about a different world and such. Give me your im or e-mail; sometime I will seriously have to tell you about it. It sound like something you may be interested in, and I'm already interested in yours! And I'm glad you enjoyed my owlrey part, I think I may have more, I enjoyed writing it and had the idea forever, just no way to get it out. Cheers!
Thank you to all who say I have a gift. When I was rejected, you gave me hope for my dreams.
Thank you to those who have flames. Without you, I wouldn't know why I was rejected, and as such would be incapable of fixing it.
Lily-
There was no way on earth that I, Lily Jean Evans, was worried about what to wear to Hogsmade. Even if it was on my first date, with a guy who I used to despise, and now care about. Although I refuse to admit this. But no, I'm not nervous.
Bloody hell, I was petrified. "You could fake sick, you know." Michelle suggested. "But I really wouldn't. Potter might wind up really sick." I paused I tossing yet another sweater over my shoulder. I swear these trunks are big, but not big enough to see all of the choices.
"I have no notion of what you are talking about, nor do I particularly care. I'm going to wind up spending the day surrounded by idiots, taunted by Slytherins and glared at James Potter's fan club." I replied bitterly. But Michelle saw right through that little act. This could have been because I am a very bad lair, or Michelle is just very good at reading people. Anyways, just because she was right didn't keep me from denying the truth.
"Potter's sick in love, or hate, or something. And besides, you still have me." while I knew this, and I was grateful for Michelle agreeing to come along as Remus's date, I love to get to her. I guess it only happens when I'm given such a good opening and opportunity.
"As I said, I'm surrounded by idiots. Normally I only have to put up with one, being you, but today there four more." I replied this with the straightest face I could keep. Michelle analyzed the choices of clothing I had spread across my four-poster.
"Not fair. Remus isn't much of an idiot, he got high marks on his O.W.L's like you, and he was a prefect." Michelle stated that last comment like that ended the matter right there. I just rolled my eyes, quite ignoring the fact that Michelle had forgotten to defend herself and had instead defended Lupin.
Finally, as I pulled a soft white sweater over my head, I asked, "Michelle, why are you continuously bring up Potter and his so called "depression?"
("Because it's the name of the story." She replied. No, just kidding, I wouldn't do that.)
"Because I don't think you've noticed it enough. I don't like James Potter anymore than you do, but the halls are literally dead. This is our last year at Hogwarts, and the Marauder's haven't pulled a decent prank in forever. To be honest, it was kind of fun, putting up with both them and their antics. Remus says-"
"Oh, what does Remmy say?" I knew it sounded childish, but I didn't want to hear anymore about this particular topic. It didn't work.
"Don't call him that, Remus says James isn't eating, he takes midnight walks on his own, and he barely even talks anymore. Can't you get his straitened out at your next head meeting, or on your date or something? He'll probably open up to you-he really liked you- and anything would give us something to go on."
"Speaking of which, did you hear why the last few have been cancelled?" This finally caught Michelle's attention, and turned her fully away from any topic regarding a romantic interest with James Potter. It took something pretty important for Dumbledore to cancel anything.
"No. What happened?" Michelle asked, applying make up. Honestly, I may be nervous, but I'm not stupid. I applied my make up using magic, and it took Michelle a moment to remember that she could do so as well.
"There was an attack on Hexford. Apparently, Dumbledore's been over there straitening things out. They almost cancelled the trip today, but there would have been too many complaints." I was finally ready, and for once, I somehow managed to be late.
As we entered the Great Hall to meet with the Marauders, I overheard, once again, another prank being planned by the infamous Marauders. " We'll need some enlargement enrichment, some…oh, uh, hey Michelle, Lily." I couldn't help but smile at Remus, who seemed to be planning the prank with Black, nor could I help but notice that on the slip of parchment they were leaning over, James handwriting wasn't on it. And James wasn't whispering with them. In fact, James wasn't doing much of anything, except looking down at his plate, playing with his scrabbled eggs using a fork. Michelle caught my eyes when James uttered a quiet greeting, and I felt a surge of guilt at the look she sent me. But just as I was about to apologize for earlier this year, and get it over with, he stood and sad that we'd all better get going.
Sirius-
"Oh, bloody hell, I think he saw us!" Peter squeaked. I prayed, for both our sanity and Lily's safety that he hadn't. James wouldn't really appreciate knowing that, in order to look out for him, the other Marauders, Michelle, and myself had tracked he and Lily for the last few hours.
We followed them into The Three Broomsticks, putting a safe distance between us. I heard James say "I'm surprised you didn't tell everyone in Hogwarts about my invisibility cloak." Lily, who appeared to be studying James carefully, perhaps finally noticing what I had been noting for the past month, said
"Why would I?"
"Because then you could tell the word how you finally figured out the secret of the Marauders and their disappearing acts." They seemed to be trying to make conversation, but I could already tell it wasn't going too far. Lily continued trying but James seemed in a daze, and this time I was fairly sure it had nothing to do with Lily and her beauty.
"What's wrong?" So Lily had noticed it too.
"Have you ever gotten the feeling someone was watching you?" James asked, looking around, then finally focusing on the large beam in the middle of the room, holding the pub up, where Moony and Michelle were hiding. He stood up and walked slowly around it, while Michelle and Remus did the same on the opposite side of him, so he couldn't see them, frantically motioning for silence from Lily. Lily only laughed.
"What?" James asked, annoyed, as he sat back down.
"Nothing." Lily giggled. "You're just being paranoid."
"No, it's not just that. I have this feeling, just like…"
"Like what?" lily actually seemed concerned, and I wondered if maybe this date could go a little better that what I had been anticipating when I had sent Michelle, Remus Peter and myself on the mission of protecting James from a broken heart. (Although Michelle insisted that she'd seen how he'd been acting, and she thought his heart was already broken.)
"Well…"Lily drifted off. "I'm glad you've told no one that I'm an Angelinos." She said it somewhat broodingly, and I knew she had been looking forward to yelling at him for it. It would be a reason to tell James off.
"To be honest, Evans, I almost forgot."
"Almost? Lily asked. I could tell she was mentally cursing him.
"Hey, I need my blackmail." James replied bitterly. "I don't think this was a good idea." I actually saw a look of hurt cross Lily's face, I swear I did! But the date didn't seem to be what he was talking about. "I've got this feeling in the pit of my stomach. I got the same feeling the day Hexford was attacked."
"Relax, your just too nervous." She replied, taking a sip of butterbeer. But I knew James and his odd, nervous feelings. They usually were right. I mentally called to Dumbledore's, using my lack-luster occlumency; I called to him to try and get Hogwarts out of Hogsmade.
If Prongs was right on another of his feelings, (and, seeing as both of his parents were Aurors, he usually is,) Hogsmade was in trouble.
James-
I had known something was wrong, but had kept it to myself. It was just a feeling in the pit of my stomach, and not from looking at Lily Evans. I don't get that feeling anymore. Anyways, I really knew something bad was going to happen. And I wasn't surprised when a teacher came in and called the attention of all Hogwarts students and residents of Hogsmade.
"We need your corroperation. We have been informed that and attack is in the planning, and will, for your safety, be sending all students back to their houses." `Immediate whispers followed this, and I stood rather abruptly, leading Lily by the arm out the door and into the carriages. She let me pull her arm, and I couldn't help but notice that her face showed blind panic. Her bright red hair blew wildly around her face, but the air was so still, and I knew that whatever it was that was here, possibly Voldemort, could be after Lily. She'd be very useful in such a situation, being able to levitate items at any give time without a wand.
I gently pushed her up in the carriage, though I would rather have not been near her at all. The point behind this date was to show her that I wasn't what she had originally made me up to be, a spoiled arrogant idiot. And my point, it seemed had been proven at our first lesson. Why couldn't she just leave me alone?
The ride back roved interesting. "James," Lily seemed to be carefully considering how best to approach whatever subject she was bringing up. I nodded, thinking that this had something to do with Voldemort. "Um… You aren't really that upset about what I said in the room at Christmas, are you? I mean, you know, the whole…"Lily scrunched up her face, "Well, I can't exactly remember what I said, but something to the likes of me hating you."
It wasn't that that had been bothering me, although those words had made it worse. I didn't understand what Lily Evans had against me, when I rarely pulled a prank on her. And at the beginning of the term, she had taken my asking her out as a joke. I wanted her to know I had been serious about it. And now, she knew. But she was worried, along with Remus, Sirius, and Peter (who didn't understand how I could like a muggle born so much, when all she did was hurt me).
"Look, Evans." I said, addressing her no differently than I always had. "I am fine. You have no reason to worry, none of you do. I eat when I'm hungry, I sleep when I'm tired, and I study when…" I paused for comical humor, hoping to get her mind off of the matter. "Well, I don't suppose I do study. So about studying, we can teach you tonight how to turn the owl into the mouse fully, and then you'll understand that subject." All right, so I was in a rush to finish my end of the deal. I had proved to everyone that I could handle Lily Evans, and it was worth it. But I didn't want to spend any more time than necessary with her.
"What about all of the other topics on NEWTS?" She asked. I think I visibly bulged, and retorted bitterly
"Enlist McGonagall, she's a big help. I only know so much." There was absolutely no way I was teaching her anymore then that.
Lily-
It was about an hour after Potter's lesson, and I was starting to notice the changes in him. He seemed more controlled, and at the same time more moody, except in the owlrey during our lessons. In there he was patient and kind, almost even, to some degree, humble.
"I wonder if that's what he acts like around his friends." I murmured to the air in general. I know, this seems like insanity, murmuring to mid-air. But when I was little, I used to do such things, because I already knew how to levitate objects. Other people knew about my gift from my sister, even though my parents had tried to keep it a secret. When I was little, I'd always been alone. So talking out loud to myself was nothing new to me. But it seemed like this time, nature responded. A stag cantered up to the edge of the lake, and cautiously approached me. I turned, still sitting on the ground, to meet its eyes, and saw a haunted look in them.
"What did you go through, huh?" The stag, rather than fleeing at my voice, walked closer. Finally, he sunk next to me, letting me lean on him. Together, this stag and I watched the sun set.
I'm not very sure about that as an ending for a chapter, but it was worth a shot. The next one may have some comedy in it, I'm not sure. But I feel like I have to make the time lost up to you all, so I'm trying to update quickly. Any praise or flames appreciated. Will have steps next time.