Chapter 46-Because I Can
I keep on looking through the looking glass
And I want to fall on through
Out of the real world to a happy day
Out of the wreckage that I do
I keep on dreaming because I can even though my eyes don't close
I keep on tripping because its free to a place I only know
I keep on dreaming because I can even though my eyes don't close
I keep on slipping out of this life
James awoke, his face warm and his head reacting to a suddenly dizzy sensation. He felt someone placing a cold wash cloth on his head and rubbing the hair out of his face. Even without his glasses, he knew it was Lily. He saw her distinctive green eyes and her soft smile looking down upon him.
"Maybe I should get in life-threatening duels more often," he suggested, feeling her kiss his cheek. She laughed.
"Take it to a room," Sirius called, from the bed across the room. They heard some commotion and Lily informed him that Remus had thrown a pillow Sirius' way.
"Childish," James spewed. "So childish."
"You're absolutely right," Madam Pomfrey agreed, coming in to administer more potion to him. "I see you're awake. Ah, yes, the coughing has died down. I knew my remedy would work."
"Absolute genius, Poppy," Sirius called.
"Oh hush, Mr. Black," Madam Pomfrey said, although Lily noticed she had turned slightly red. Even the school nurse couldn't resist the charms of Sirius Black.
She strode out, mumbling under her breath about the amount of injuries James has attained during his years in her supervision.
"Mate," Sirius called. "I think she fancies you."
"Actually, I'm willing to back Padfoot up on that one," Remus agreed, in the bed next to Sirius.
"She's ancient," James announced, as if that clarified everything.
"Should I be feeling jealous?" Lily teased.
James had been trying to sit up for quite some time and had finally managed it. Lily scooted off his bed and looked at him curiously.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Getting up," James declared.
"He walks!" Sirius sang. "It's a miracle!"
"You're supposed to be in bed. Do you really think you'd be here if you didn't need to rest?" Lily questioned, her eyes narrowed in disapproval.
"Look at Padfoot," James gestured.
"What about me?" Sirius asked.
"Why are you here?" James questioned.
Sirius looked under the covers to reveal his injuries. He wasn't successful. He put his hand on his face, searching for cuts. He breathed in several time, testing his lung power. He looked at his hand for signs of burns. He tried sitting up and was very well apt to doing so.
"Why am I here?" he asked himself. "You're right. You're abso-bloody-lutely right!"
James huffed persistently in Lily's direction.
"Poppy must actually fancy me," Sirius whispered, looking fearfully at the nurse's station.
As if on cue, Madam Pomfrey scuttled toward Sirius with a fresh hospital gown.
"Mr. Black," she acknowledged. "We must change your gown. It seems that you've been wearing yours for far too long."
"AHH!" Sirius shouted, running out of the hospital wing, his arms flailing in the air.
"Well, no use crying over spilled milk," Madam Pomfrey brushed off. She turned to Remus. "Mr. Lupin?"
"I'm feeling remarkably better," he insisted, his voice cracking as he strode out of the room, his leg limping in the process.
She turned to James, seeing him standing up. Her face formed into a new, stern expression.
"Potter," she barked. "What are you doing out of bed? Rest, rest, rest!"
He sent a pleading look Lily's way. She was confused as to what his problem was.
Madam Pomfrey checked his breathing rate, replaced the wash cloth on his forehead, and hurried back to the nurse's station.
"Lily, you've got to get me out of here," James begged.
"Why?" Lily asked. "What's so wrong with gaining back your health?"
"That nurse is insane," James assured her. "Without Sirius and Remus here, she's going to devote all her services to me! She's a blasted scary broad, let me tell you."
Lily laughed and kissed him on the forehead.
"I'll be back later," she said to him. "I have classes. Get better, James."
He nodded his head in recognition, still glancing nervously over at Madam Pomfrey.
"Scary wench," he muttered when the nurse began singing to herself, something about marrying into the Potter
family.
.X.
Lily knew the Marauders cared about her, but being without James that day sunk her into a low realization. She missed her friends-a lot. Normally, James averted her attention from that.
As the end of May was approaching, Lily curiously wondered what Addison and Maimee would be doing if they were in the bright, sunny classroom with her. Sirius looked down as well. Obviously, James distracted him from those harsh realities as well.
"Listen Lily," Sirius approached her after class. "We have to go back and steal James some food from the kitchens. Only a few of us can fit under the cloak, and since me and Remus know where they are, we thought we'd take it to him. That hospital food is positively disgusting, nauseating, dreadful, horrendous-"
"She gets the picture," Remus intervened, cutting off Sirius. "What we mean to say is, that we'll do our visiting now. That way, you and James can visit alone later. Is that ok with you?"
"Yes," Lily replied. "That's fine. Make sure that the nurse hasn't attacked him yet."
"Poppy?" Sirius asked. "She is one scary witch. I'm serious, almost gave me a heart attack back in fourth year when I jumped onto the Whomping Willow. Even when she mended all my cuts, she kept me behind and started petting my head. It was creepy."
Lily shook her head and laughed.
"Have fun," she called off, holding her books tightly around her chest. The halls had cleared and the specific corridor she was in was rather empty. She remembered vividly a scene like this only a few months earlier. Bellatrix had attacked her and Addison.
She kept a sharp eye, looking around her as she walked. Sure enough, a suspicious sound came from the corner.
Lily dropped her books and pelted out her wand. She figured many Slytherins had heard what had happened in Hogsmeade. She also assumed all of them were rather pissed about it. An attack on her wouldn't be a complete surprise.
Severus Snape stepped out of the shadows, his long greasy hair shining in the light. His eyes were looking at her wand cautiously, although she knew he was experienced with the Dark Arts.
"What do you want Snape?" Lily demanded, rather impatient with the subtle nature of Slytherins. They could never get to the point, they had to prance around it for hours.
"I don't want anything, Evans," he replied coolly. "I just happened to be in the same hallway as yourself."
"Hiding in the shadows?" she suspected. "Typical behavior of a shady character."
"I'm here to warn you," he admitted.
"Warn me?" Lily questioned. "Since when did worry about warning me of anything?"
"Since you've misplaced some of your common sense," Snape verified. "Honestly, dating Potter? Stupendous mistake on your part. I thought even a Mudblood would have more sense than that."
"Leave James out of this," she requested, her voice low and raspy. It was voice unlike her own. Since when had she grown this protective of James? Oh yes, had to have been since she'd fallen in love with him.
"The Dark Lord is after him, Evans," Snape replied viciously to her harsh tone. "Do you really want to go down with him?"
"I have every intention of standing by James as long as it's possible," Lily responded. "As to this new 'warning', I already know. Obviously, you're slow on the uptake. He's in the hospital wing because we just had an encounter with your 'lord'."
"Stupid Mudblood," he muttered. "Surely, I did indeed know this. I'm warning you to get out now. You're next after Potter, you do know this? Dumbledore explained that to you?"
"I know," she whispered. "I'm number two on his hit list. If you think I'm going to hide, then you're wrong."
"You've got great power, Evans," Snape observed. "The Dark Lord knows this. Why don't you join his side? Why gamble that power for James Potter?"
"Because," she shouted. "I'm not evil. I never will be. I fight for what I believe in. Right now, I believe that Voldemort killed my friends. He killed James' parents. He's causing more trouble than he's worth. What better use can my so-called powers be put to test if not against him?"
"I don't think you realize what our world has come down to," Snape said. His black eyes were staring straight into her fierce green ones. "It's kill or be killed. You've chosen the losing side."
"So is this why you're a Death Eater, Snape?" she proposed. "You're scared? Do you know how much of a coward that makes you? I forgot though, you're in Slytherin. You only look out for yourself. You should have thought of that before approaching me. I'm a Gryffindor. I have some courage, unlike yourself."
She picked up her books, eyeing him angrily. With that, she stomped off in the direction of the Heads Room.
"You just got yourself killed, Evans," Snape said bitterly.
A/N: I hope you liked it. Snape doesn't like Lily though. He was just warning her for her own being.
Review please!