Looking Through Glass
Chapter 3: Silent Prayers part 1
A/N: Thanks for those who reviewed and thanks also for pointing out my errors. As I wrote in my summary, Lily experienced a very tragic thing in her life and I will gradually unravel it in the upcoming chapters. Wouldn't want to spoil the story! R&R!!!
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Lily dreamed of lonely dreams, as she always did.
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Lily was in the library the next morning, reading a thick, worn book. The title was gilded on the faded cover. The library was silent and empty at such an early hour in the morning.
Mostly everyone was in the Great Hall having breakfast but Lily tried to avoid large crowds and she rarely went down to the Great Hall to eat. She had found out, ever since her second year in Hogwarts, that the school elves were more than happy to bring her food to her dormitory.
She was the only other person in the large library - the other person was the librarian, Madame Crowley - her nose buried in a fascinating book about dark curses and their founders. Lily had a very lively enthrallment about dark curses since they were so morbidly exciting, though she would never try one of them on her fellow students.
Though she wasn't much of a Gryffindor, Lily wasn't naturally evil and she didn't feel the malicious urge to hurt others, unlike Slytherins.
She had often wondered what it would be like to be in the other Houses. Ravenclaw was known for the brilliance of its students; Hufflepuff for being the most amiable; Gryffindor for bravery and camaraderie and Slytherin for those who are cunning and ambitious.
At first, upon learning that Ravenclaw was for the smart ones, courtesy of the book Hogwarts: A History, Lily wanted to be a Ravenclaw. But during the Sorting Ceremony, she had been placed in Gryffindor where the brave dwells. She hadn't the faintest idea what the Sorting Hat found in her that was Gryffindor-ish.
"The Craver Curse was founded by the malevolent Lady Seasta after she witnessed the scene of her lover in another woman's arms. This curse makes the unfaithful feel utterly nothing, neither pain nor pleasure. A cure hasn't been found and the ministry had banned this curse after the 1690 Minister, Trevor Grandall, had been cursed by his wife on the bed of his mistress…"
Lily smirked inwardly. Men who toyed with women needlessly were the lowest creatures on the food chain.
She turned to the next, worn-out page carefully, hardly making a noise at all. Her legs were crossed beneath the table, one foot tapping on the air. Her wand in her robes pocket.
For the next few minutes, she read absorbedly, eyes scanning every intriguing dark curse and their sometimes amusing or gruesome reasons behind them.
So Lily, captivated by the book, didn't notice that another student had entered the library. Madame Crowley looked at him and nodded her head in silent greeting and he did the same. James eyes searched the empty library and he caught sight of a figure at the far end of the room. The figure had red hair, bathed in sunlight that slanted from the open window on the brick wall.
James eyes lit up and he grinned, walking over to Lily with long, firm strides.
Her back was facing him and from the look of her relaxed form, James knew that Lily hadn't noticed him yet. His brown eyes looked down on the open page she was reading, and his eyebrows knotted over bewildered eyes.
5000 Dark Curses and More.
What was Lily doing with a book like that?
James shrugged; answering his own question that she just loved to read everything.
"Are you going to loom over me all day?" Lily's cool voice said quietly, startling James. He didn't realize that she'd just notice him. Her shoulders had gone stiff and tense.
James pulled back the chair beside Lily and sat down, a charming grin on his lips. His messy black hair was sticking out all over, though it still looked a bit damp and his spectacles were clean and clear and his swirling robes hung on his lithe form.
Not that Lily noticed those things, of course.
She was very afraid that she might be developing a bit of a crush on James Potter, though Lily hardly spent time with him or even thought of him at all. But he was indeed charming, if his numerous girlfriends didn't prove that, and he was undeniably quite pleasant in attitude and to look at. But isn't that what a crush is just? Admiration for the opposite sex for some characteristics they possess that others don't?
And if she did have a silly schoolgirl crush, Lily had not intention of letting it be known, especially to James Potter. Also, she would positively try to squash that sensation.
"How did you know I was here?" James asked curiously.
Lily didn't look at him when she answered. "If the shadow that fell over me wasn't yours, then I must be psychic."
Her voice was dripping with sarcasm and if James noticed, he didn't let it show. In fact, his grin got even wider.
"Biting off my head, are you?"
Lily frowned at his pleased tone, feeling irritated at his amusement.
She gave him a glare from the corners of her eyes.
"Yes, I am," she said primly. "What are you doing here?"
Her voice was soft, observing the 4th rule of the library to keep your voice down.
"Oh, I just thought that I should catch up on some reading, since I do so love books so very much." James was teasing and Lily felt indignant. Was he insulting her love for books? He better not be, for his own good.
"I see. So that's why you're hardly ever in the library because you love books greatly!"
Her green eyes were flashing with anger, making them glow like burning emeralds, but other than that, her face looked eerily calm.
"I didn't mean to insult you, Lily," James said, looking contrite.
Lily counted to ten and she relaxed inwardly, the fire in her eyes cooling down.
"You shouldn't tease anyone, especially me Potter. Now if you excuse me, I have some reading to do" Lily curtly ended their talk.
James looked regretful that he'd teased Lily and scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry."
"I think we have gotten to the foregone conclusion that we have ended our discussion."
Lily heard James sigh and stood up, his chair grazing against the floor noisily. Madame Crowley looked up and gave James a disapproving frown and shushed him. James gave the librarian an apologetic smile.
"All right, Lily - er - I mean, Evans. See you later at the prefects meeting and I'll be heading to the Great Hall…well…" James shrugged and walked away, leaving Lily to relax considerably.
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Since I can't update for a while, I decided to post the first half of chapter 3 that's already finished! The second half will be coming soon…hopefully!!! Thanks to all those who reviewed!!!