Chapter 26: Don't Lie
Song: Don't Lie
Artist: Black-Eyed Peas
No, no, no, no baby, no, no, no, no don't lie
No, no, no, no, yeah, you know, know, know, know, you gotta try
What you gonna do when it all comes out
When I really see you & what you're all about
No, no, no baby, no, no, no, no don't lie
Yeah, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you gotta try
She said I'm leaving
Coz she can't take the pain
It's hard to continue this love it ain't the same
Can't forget the things that I've done inside her brain
Too many lies committed too many games
She feeling like a fool getting on the last train
Trying to maintain but the feeling won't change
I'm sorry for the things that I've done and what I became
Caught up in living my life in the fast lane
Blinded by lights, cameras, you know the fame
I don't know the reason why I did these things
*-*-*
Hogwarts was a mess…a blur…And James and Lily were in the middle of it.
The students, at first, after Theodore's death, had treated Lily and James coolly…Even rudely. One day Lily had found a dead rat in her back pack when she opened it during class. And that was James's last straw.
He yelled, he bellowed. But he was no where near as mad as Sirius Black. Sirius found out it was a Fifth Year Ravenclaw boy that had put the rat in Lily's bag. The boy had been found unconscious in a hallway the night after he placed the rat in Lily's bag.
When Dumbledore and the nurse had revived him, and tried to get him to tell who had beaten him up, he couldn't remember. All he could remember was that the person had said, "If you ever mess with Lily Evans again, I will kill you."
James, Lily and Sirius were called to Dumbledore's office the next day.
All three students denied having any part in the boy's beating. Dumbledore had warned the students that this was exactly what Voldemort wanted, for the students inside of Hogwarts to fight each other.
A week later, the first week in April, Dumbledore made a speech to the student body regarding the death of Theodore Whaling. In Dumbledore's speech, he mentioned how more than half the students would be dead right now if it weren't for Lily and James. Then Dumbledore said James and Lily were some of the best Heads to ever come through Hogwarts. They received a standing applause by everyone, including the majority of the Slytherins who were not Death Eaters.
After the applause Lily and James were each awarded Special Services awards from Dumbledore. Again, they received a standing applause.
Things then looked up for the two heads. People smiled and greeted them in the hallways, and Lily found her list of people in need of a tutor was greater than ever before.
But James, poor James. He had seen his mother murdered by Eileen Prince. No one other than James and Lily themselves knew who had been responsible for James' mom's death. When Sirius had been told of murder, he had cried himself to bed. Sirius wanted to know who had murdered Emily Potter, but James said he didn't know and that Moody had killed the person shortly after.
James seemed to be taking it perfectly. At first his friends had been careful around him, to be sober. But then James would laugh, he would tell jokes. He talked about his mom as if she was perfectly fine being dead.
But James was taking the death better than his father. Albert Potter was bad. At the funeral, he had stood by James side, not letting out a single tear. The memory was still new in Lily's mind.
[FLASHBACK]
It was a cold day at the end of March. It had snowed once again the night before making the land wet and frozen. A large number of people had gathered for this event that was about to take place.
They were standing in an old graveyard, a couple miles away from London. Many of the Hogwarts staff were present, along with a handful of students. The rest of the wizards and witches were from work, or neighbors, or people just coming to pay their respect.
"Emily Potter was a fine woman," droned the old man that was laying Emily to sleep. "She was a wonderful daughter, honored wife, and loved mother. She was a prized woman that will never be forgotten."
Lily clutched James hand tightly trying to keep warm. James dad Albert was on James's other side, at the end of the row of chairs. Sitting next to Lily was Sirius, who was crying openly for anyone to see. Next to Sirius was Remus, next to Remus was Katie, and next to Katie was Alyssa. Next to Alyssa was Bekka and finally on the other end was Peter.
"…endless service to the government…One of the bravest and finest…She died with courage that surpasses all else…Known not only for her beauty, but also for her kindness…Will be missed for a long time…"
Lily only heard random words of the man's speech. After the wizard had finished, he had swept his wand out and in a very elaborate way, beckoned Emily's family to come forward one last time to pay their respects.
Lily had been planning on staying seated as James went forward, but she had felt James tug roughly on Lily's hand and she was pulled to her feet. Sirius followed her.
The four went up to the front and starred down into the casket. Emily looked lifeless, which she was. Her face looked plain, without her famous glow that usually could be seen in her face. Her hair looked so strange as it rippled over her shoulders.
Sirius was the first to say his good-byes. He leaned forward, tears running down his cheeks as he whispered something into Emily's ear. He smiled and then kissed her cheek delicately. Sirius stood up straight and gave James a look in the eye, it said something the Lily couldn't make out. And Sirius headed back to his chair.
James suddenly let go of Lily's hand and picked up the hand of his mother's and place it against his cheek. He closed his eyes, as if remembering how Emily had placed her hand on her son's cheek whenever he was upset. James opened his eyes, kissed his mother's hand and set it back in the casket, he suddenly smiled and leaned over and kissed Lily on the cheek, as if he was happy.
Lily couldn't help but smile as she saw James grinning. His hazel eyes were twinkling, happiness seemed to be flooding through his body. Yet there were tears at the corners of his eyes, Lily looked away from James and set her eyes on Emily's face. Beauty, dead or alive, Emily Potter was nothing else but beautiful.
Lily and James headed back to their seats leaving James's dad standing alone at the casket.
Albert reached out his hand and picked up one of Emily's and held it up to his heart. Could these two honestly have had an arranged marriage like the one Lily was being thrown into? Albert had leaned forward and kissed Emily's forehead and then dropped her hand into the casket before taking his seat back in his chair.
The old wizard then sang a long hymn about a bird flying into the sky, leaving the other birds with nothing but memories. Lily knew the song was supposed to make you feel better, but to her it just made her laugh hysterically. Emily never would have liked to know she was seen as a bird, she would have preferred something that wasn't as boring and plain. Emily, likely, would throw a fit if she knew what had happened at her funeral.
At last everyone had walked out of the old church yard and into a beautiful white tent that was set for everyone to have dinner. Lily and her friends weren't planning on staying for dinner, they needed to get back to Hogwarts.
Lily stood next to James as people came forward and gave James hugs and told him how wonderful his mother had been. Lily looked across the room and saw James's father standing by himself, no one beside him to hold his hand, as people came forward and told him how sorry they were that Emily had to be taken.
Lily suddenly, out of impulse reached out and grabbed James's hand, as if she needed to, as if that's what she knew James wanted. He looked over at her surprised, before clutching her hand tightly inside of his own.
He needed her then, to lean on and make it through.
[/End of FLASHBACK]
"Lily," rang out the deep voice of Sirius Black that so many girls at Hogwarts found unpredictable.
"Yes, Sirius," said Lily as she rolled her off her bed and looked into the face of Sirius Black.
"James needs you," said Sirius with a sly grin.
"Sirius how did you get up into the Girl's Dormitory?" asked Lily.
"That's not the point, James needs you," said Sirius.
"Why does James need me?" asked Lily.
"Because," said Sirius as he grew impatient, "he found something he thinks that you will think is interesting."
"What did he find?" asked Lily, really not caring what the simple minded Sirius Black and James Potter had been up to.
"I don't know," said Sirius as he sounded like a little boy. "He won't tell me until you are there."
"So that's what you need me for?" replied Lily.
"Yes," answered Sirius simply as he pulled Lily out of her bed.
"Sirius I'm not wearing anything," shrieked Lily as Sirius threw her over his shoulder.
"You're wearing a tank top and undies, that's more than what James wears to bed," replied Sirius as he ran through the open girls' door and down the stairs with Lily screaming on his shoulder.
"LET ME DOWN SIRIUS BLACK!" shrieked Lily as she pounded with her fist on Sirius's back.
"Ok," replied Sirius cheerfully as he dumped Lily onto the couch next to James Potter.
"What do you want?" asked Lily as she turned to James and looked at him mysteriously. He seemed rather upset Lily noticed at once.
"James, what's the matter!" asked Lily suddenly concerned as James looked at the floor.
"I-I…." James looked up and stared at Sirius, and then looked around the room to make sure no one else was in the Common Room. No one else was present.
"Look," said James as he passed Lily a cardboard box. Lily gave James a questioning look before she opened the box and pulled out a sheet of paper. It was Alyssa Anderson's DNA results for her unborn child.
"It's not mine," Lily said quickly, but then she thought for a moment. "How did you get this James? Have you been going through our trash?"
"No, I haven't been going through your trash, a house elf has," replied James with a sly grin.
"What?" asked an upset Lily.
"I have been keeping close tabs on you Lily, very close. I must say, at times I did not trust you. But now, I do…it's other people I do not trust. And that is why," said James as he turned and faced the common room door. "We are going to be having a meeting with our fellow 7th Year Gryffindors." The Common Room door swung open and in trudged Alyssa, Bekka, Katie and Remus.
Lily grabbed James's wand from his pocket and pointed it at herself and she quickly transfigured out of her revealing PJs and into black sweats and a long white shirt.
"How did you do that?" asked James as he stared at Lily in awe.
"Your wand's good at transfiguration!" said Lily with a grin as she studied James's wand.
"Where's Peter?" asked Sirius as he surveyed his friends.
"He is missing," said Bekka with her flirtiest look at Sirius.
"Great," said Sirius. "Do we go along with the plan?"
"I suppose," said James with a sigh. He took his wand from Lily and pointed it towards a table that instantly was set for seven spots.
"Dinner is served," said Sirius as he tried to sound like a butler.
"But it's breakfast time," said Bekka as she again, looked at Sirius.
"Vell then mi lady! ve shall haf to pretend," said Sirius with a very fake accent. Bekka giggled and sat down in the chair Sirius had pulled out for her. Alyssa fumed.
"Tea," said James as he pointed his wand and everyone's cup filled with tea.
"Excellent!" said Remus as he took a big sip. He frowned and looked at James.
"Problem with the tea?" asked James who had not yet tasted his.
"No," said Lily to James right. "I suppose it's just sweeter than what they normally serve at Hogwarts."
"It tastes fine to me," said Alyssa as she almost emptied her cup.
"So who's had a good day today?" asked James.
"Mine's been like shit," said Alyssa quickly before putting her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry."
"It's ok," said James brightly. "Why has your day been bad?"
"Because I'm pregnant and the stupid father has yet to figure it out," said Alyssa, again quickly.
"Oh my," said Lily as she quickly took a sip of her tea so she wouldn't have to look at anyone.
"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" asked Bekka.
"Because I actually don't like you," said Alyssa. "I think you are annoying, a flirt, and a slut. You are only my friend because Lily is too smart for me and Katie is too quiet and has too many secrets." Bekka gasped and stared at Alyssa.
"What are your secrets," said James as he turned and looked at Katie.
"I-I," Katie took a sip of her tea and then blinked her eyes a few times before looking straight at James. "I have so many I don't know where to start."
"The beginning," said James as he looked at Sirius excitedly.
"Well when I was barely a year old my parents were murdered by Death Eaters…Or I suppose back then they weren't yet called Death Eaters. Just some of Voldemort's friends, as far as I know it could have been Voldemort himself."
Lily gasped and Alyssa and Bekka stopped glaring at each other to look with disbelief at Katie.
"We weren't at our house, we happened to be at Old Mrs. PJ, our nanny's house. But my parents were killed and the Ministry wanted to cover the murder up, this was before tons of families were murdered you see, so that no one knew what had happened. The Ministry gave us to Old Mrs. PJ, who happened to be the only witch living in out neighborhood, and told her to take us out of the country and hide us."
"Who do you mean by us?" asked Lily as she looked at her best friend.
"I mean, my twin sister and me. But she died, three years ago. Voldemort found her," answered Katie quickly.
"You mean," said Lily, then she gasped and stared at Katie in utter disbelief. "In fourth year when you left the term about two weeks early, you said your parents wanted to go on a vacation. But you must have gone in to hiding."
"I did. I went to Dumbledore's house, I stayed there for the summer. I couldn't go home to Old Mrs. PJ because Dumbledore thought Voldemort could find me there."
"But where had your sister been the whole time if she wasn't at Hogwarts?" asked James.
"She was at a school in the states, she thought people might be able to recognize her if she stayed here in England. So she left."
The six other students stared at her in disbelief.
"Katie," said Remus slowly. "There is something special about you…Can you tell us what it is?" Katie took in a deep breath and looked at the friends around her, knowing this was the time to share her secret.
"I have a special skill. It's passed down through the woman's side of my family so no males have ever had it. It doesn't really have a name, and few people outside of my family know about it. I can do magic without a wand. Simple as that, no wand needed. But when I have a wand, my magic is very powerful…So powerful I can not control it…So Professor Dumbledore doesn't allow me to use a wand…This is fake," said Katie as she held up the wand in her pocket. She waved it around and nothing happened.
"Oh my," said Alyssa suddenly. "I remember once in our fifth year when I reached over to use your wand to look for my wand that had fallen under my bed, and you freaked out. I thought you were just really protective over your wand…But your wand actually isn't a wand."
"Correct," said Katie as she smiled a little at the memory. "But that's not all. When I was four years old I found out something that rather disturbed Old Mrs. PJ, I'm able to turn into an animal…And not just any animal, a tiger, a white tiger that could easily rip a human into pieces."
"Wow, and can you do it without a wand then?" asked James. "It took me two-" James stopped and looked at Remus and both of their faces blushed. "It took me two years to finish reading how to turn in to an Animagus…But then I decided it was too confusing to do…So I didn't."
"Yes well, I've never even tried with a wand. All I need to do is think of myself as a white tig-" Katie stopped and she suddenly stepped back from the table and dropped to her fours. Her face began to change as her body grew and thick creamy white fur came quickly out of her skin. Black stripes began to rap themselves around Katie until in front of the Gryffindor students stood a nine foot tiger weighing 350 pounds. Her three foot tail suddenly wiped over the floor knocking down the chair.
"She's good," said Sirius.
"Really good," added James.
"Did you know that white tigers are one of the rarest species on Earth? Very few tigers live in the wild any more, most of them are found in zoos. The White Tigers are magnificent creatures that posses an amazing combination of spectacular beauty and impressing power. It's said they can kill a prey with one bite of their mouth," said Lily.
"Amazing," said Remus. The tiger suddenly transformed back to its original self and Katie smiled at her friends.
"I'm sorry," said Katie suddenly. "I don't have much control over it, it's like sometimes I need to be a tiger…And I can do nothing to stop my body."
"It's ok," said Remus. "It's pretty amazing that you didn't even had to study to find out what kind of animal you would be turning into to…It just happened."
"Yes," said Bekka. "My parents have tried to have me turn into an Animagus many times but nothing happens."
"Interesting," said James.
"Very interesting," said Sirius.
"Boys cut it out," said Lily as she still gazed at her best friend. "So Katie has amazing magical power that we never even caught on to. Wow."
"But who's Old Mrs. PJ?" asked Alyssa.
"She has almost the same powers as me. Except she's fully trained by the Ministry. She taught me how to control my powers when I was younger. That's why I have so good self control over my emotions. She taught me how not to let people read me. So no one could figure out what I was thinking. How to empty my mind," replied Katie.
"Occlumency," said James slowly.
"Yes," replied Katie, "Occlumency, and I'm good, real good."
"But why?" asked Lily. "Are you hiding something else?"
"No but if Voldemort found out that I could do magic with out a wand, well just imagine how easy it would be for me to just walk down a muggle street and blow it to smithereens…no one would know magic had occurred, they'd think it was just an accident…Even the Ministry has trouble tracking my kind of magic, so that's why they try to have me trained, so I am able to control it."
"That's really cool, though," said Alyssa.
"Thank you," said Katie as she blushed a little.
"Well," said Sirius as he began to stand up. "I think it's time for us to leave, it's been great having a chat with everyone bu-"
"Sit down," said James. "We still need to know about Alyssa and Bekka."
"What about me?" both girls winded together.
"Your deepest secrets," laughed James as he grinned at Sirius.
"How bout, no," said Bekka.
"So Alyssa," said Remus as he grinned and leaned towards her.
"So what?" asked Alyssa innocently.
"Who's the father?" asked Remus.
"Sirius Black," said Alyssa, then she covered her mouth and gasped. Bekka and Katie looked in shock from Sirius to Alyssa. James grinned.
"What?" asked Sirius. At once Alyssa started crying and ran upstairs to her dorm. Bekka cast one last glance at Sirius before following Alyssa upstairs.
"Bekka does know Alyssa hates her," said Remus slowly.
"I believe she may have forgotten that," replied Katie as she stood up and took one last glance at Sirius before following her two friends up the stairs.
"James you put something in the tea," said Lily as she heard the door slam from her dorm.
"Of course he did," said Remus as he glared at James. "Why do you think he hasn't had any of it to drink?"
"I can't believe you would do that to your friends," said Lily as she glanced at Sirius who stared at the stairs where Alyssa had run up.
"Well, I needed to find out something," said James with a slight grin.
"You could have asked," retorted Lily.
"And gotten more lies?" asked James. "No Lily darling, lies tear people apart. No one should lie."
"Aren't you a little saint now," snapped Lily as she stood up.
"I can't believe she never told me," said Sirius finally.
"She was going to," said Lily. "That day Theodore died. But then she lost it. She's been crying every night since then. And she just found out that Theodore's sister is pregnant…So they are planning on casting out his sister…She's really unsure about what she's going to do."
"Does she not care about me?" asked Sirius. "How do you think I feel finding out I'm going to be a father?"
"I think you're embarrassed…A girl you were fooling around with is pregnant…And to make it better she was engaged to one of your rivals. And now he's dead. And she's pregnant with your kid…I think you're embarrassed. But she needs me right now, not you," said Lily as she ran out of the room and stopped on the stairs to catch her breath and wipe away tears that had formed in her eyes.
She was about to head up the stairs to her dorm when she heard her name being said by Sirius.
"…Lily is going to hate you," said Sirius.
"Like she doesn't already," said an exasperated James.
"'Course she doesn't," said Remus. "Or at least she didn't before this dinner."
"What do you mean by that?" snapped James.
"She was starting to like you," said Sirius.
"Whatever, she wasn't," said James. "And I really don't care. We'll be married in a couple months and then I could care less if she liked me or not." Lily gasped and her tears began to run out of her eyes.
"I don't believe you," said Remus. "Take a sip of my tea."
"No," said James.
"Yes," said Remus as he handed James the tea, James took one look at the tea before chugging it down quickly.
"Ask me anything," said James as he held out his arms in the air as if he was giving up.
"Do you love Lily?" asked Sirius.
"Yes," said James. "Deep, long-quick, heart pounding, not breathing kind of love. When she walks in the room it's like I fall apart. I put up a wall so she can't tell. I don't want her knowing how I feel when she doesn't feel the same."
"How do you know she doesn't feel the same?" asked Remus.
"I-do-I don't…I don't know if she does. But it's just the way she is. Hard, cold, Lily. Beautiful, loving Lily. Some days I can't tell the difference. Once when we were sitting outside by the lake…I thought she felt something towards me…This year has been back and forth crazy. First she hates me…Then she likes me…Then she acts like we're dating…Only to find out she still hates me…I can't handle it…I like her Sirius…I really like her…"
"Tell her then," said Remus.
"Tell her what?" snapped James.
"Tell me you love me," said Lily as she walked down the stairs and the three boys turned and looked at her. "Tell me that your heart is beating wickedly and there're butterflies in your stomach and you can't breathe. Tell me it's more than lust, it's love. Tell me that from this moment on, we will really love each other. And not just pretend…Please James…just tell me it's ok to love you too."
"Lily…I…" James seemed to have lost his ability to speak. "I …of course…I…"
Remus and Sirius looked at each other and Sirius grinned a little at Remus. Sirius pulled his hand back and whacked James horribly hard on the butt and James stumbled forward and Lily caught him.
"Lily, I-"
"James, shut up," said Lily as she leaned forward and kissed James on the lips.
"Finally," whispered Remus.
"Finally…" said Sirius with a questioning tone in his voice.
"Lily and James are in love," said Remus.
"There's still a few months left of school…Can it last?" asked Sirius.
"Of course…until finals…then Lily might lose it," said Remus.
"And the wedding…" said Sirius.
"Two months…" said Remus.
"Two months…" repeated Sirius hopefully.
-*-*-*-*-*-*
Hey Guyz! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed! Sorry this chapter is a week later than I had planned to send out! But Fall sports ended last week (yeah Section Champs) Course winter sports start tomorrow.. but They end at 5 in the afternoon while fall sports ended at 6... So I'll have an extra hour a day for hwk and hopefully writing! Expect the next chapter sumtime b4 Thanksgiving... Any British/ no American people reading this Thanksgiving's in a couple weeks!
Also.. side note... I am currently posting a story for my friend Brooke.. So If you get notes saying Author update they could be for Brooke's story... it's called The Potter vs. Granger Rivalry.... Excellent story if any of you feel like reading it.. But yes, any ways.. just to tell you, you might receive updates about her story if you have my account number under favorite authors...
Thankx again for reviewing.. Advice/ constructive criticism is always appreciated!
x0x0
Kaci