Music Box Lullaby
Chapter One: Though the Window
"So, are you going to ask him out or what?" Lily asked taking a long sip off her drink and breaking a bar off a chocolate slab sitting nearby. She cast a glance at over at Lori Pawson, whose cinnamon eyes were surveying a table over on the other side of the room thoughtfully.
She shrugged. "I don't know, Lily. Maybe…"
"It can't be that hard to figure out if you like the guy or not." Lily glanced over at where Aaron Temple was sitting with some other seventh years playing what looked like exploding snap.
It was late in the afternoon and they had spent most of the day in the sun outside, chatting and meeting others who had come to sit in the heat. One guy in particular had caught Lori's eye, and they had chatted for a while, but since then she had said nothing about it.
Both Lily and Lori talked about relationships a lot since coming to Hogwarts. At first, dreaming about meeting handsome, rich men and having them whisk them away to a problem free life, that dream died fast. Soon, they, and everyone else, were hearing about the Dark Lord's murders daily; couples that were being torn apart by death, and young men and women dying before having a chance to live life and to love. Lily now understood why a lot of people she had known, who had already left Hogwarts, had yet to fall in love and marry. Or rather let themselves fall in love. It was impossible to tell who was falling under the Dark Lord's shadow.
A sharp gab in the ribs reminded Lily that she was currently holding a conversation and told her that she had missed something that Lori had said. Blinking dumbly Lily quickly said, "Sorry, what?"
Lori sighed and Lily knew without looking that she was giving her that expression that she had come to know by heart; the one that wondered if Lily ever paid attention to what Lori was saying.
Lily gave her the best apologetic smile she could muster. "Sorry," she mumbled and offered Lori some of the chocolate she had been munching on, but she swatted it away with her hand.
"I was saying," she said with a small smile on her lips. "That Aaron has a girlfriend, she in Ravenclaw. So that kind of ruins any chances I might have had. On top of that, they've been together since their third year, and claim to love each other." Lily smothered a giggle at Lori's expression of distaste. "Stupid Mayble Mathews," she growled. "I think they're only together because of they're expected to be together. Not because they want to be," Lori continued, her imagination taking over.
Lily rolled her eyes, "Sure Lori. Whatever you say…"
"It's true!" She insisted pulling her eyes away from the Gryffindor boy they had wondered over to. "It is!" She grumbled for a few more minutes before sitting back in a huff with her arms crossed firmly across her chest, her eyes narrowed.
Lily laughed at her behaviour, and got a nasty glare back in return. "Shut up, Lily."
She didn't shut up as Lori had so nicely suggested, but instead greeted the other seventh year Gryffindor girls, Grace Whitefern, Corrine Coal, and April Lewis, who had taken seats across the table from them. "Hey guys."
"Hey Lori, Lily," April said, dumping her bag at the side of her chair and grinning at us as the other two took seats next to her and said their 'hellos'. "What you two been up to? We haven't seen you all day."
Grace gave an exasperated sigh. "It's no wonder. I mean, not everyone goes to the library to work on some stupid assignment! Frankly, I can't imagine why you two weren't there." She gave April a stare that suggested that she didn't willingly spend her day working. "Next time, I am so going to finish my assignment before the night before its due. What's up with Lori?" She added, nodding towards where Lori was now making puppy-dog eyes towards Aaron. "Wait a minute! Are you going ga-ga over Aaron Temple?"
"The same Aaron Temple who plays keeper for Gryffindor?" Corrine gushed, looking interested. "The same Aaron Temple who is supposedly in love with Mayble Mathews!?"
"'Supposedly' being the key word," Lori muttered looking even sourer.
"Oh, so you know him," Lily said, sarcasm evident in her voice.
The others smiled. "Ah, don't worry Lori. Forget him! You always do - really, you're forever changing your mind about who you like."
"So, what's your point?"
"That he has a girlfriend," Grace stated simply. "Anyway, look around you!" she cried throwing her hands in the air. "Come on, choose another! There are plenty here!"
Lori scanned the common room critically.
"How about him?" Grace suggested wickedly, "That one, over there."
They all looked over to where Grace was pointing and Lily almost jumped when she saw the familiar face. He was in their year although she hardly spoke to him (Never if Lily had her way) with good reason.
James Potter had dark brown hair and olive complexion, and a devil-may-care aura about him. His dorm was on the same
floor as the Lily's (but in the boy's section) and was directly across from theirs. He and his room mates
always left the big windows unshuttered, leaving Lily and her dorm mates with a full view of their dorm- not that she
spied. And as of late, these guys almost ALWAYS had a girl over: a different one each time at that.
Lily had always thought it amusing, especially when James caught sight of her in her dorm one morning as she sat doodling in a sketchbook near the window in the girls' dorm.
James had tipped his chin at Lily, smiled and waved.
What a player, she thought and had made a point to ignore him and had closed the curtains, feeling triumphant in doing so. Since then, he had made an effort to do something silly then every time Lily saw him from the window, like blowing her a kiss, or rubbing the spot on the bed next to him suggestively. It was rather funny. And it always seemed to happen when Lily was at the window. In her classes (some of which James shared) things went had started to change from what they had been for the last two years. Instead of James constantly vying for her affections, he instead hung back and watched from afar.
This just gave Lily all the more reason to believe that James Potter was a player. He wanted to appear available, or at least, that was her guess. They had of course shared classes since first year. Now when they talked, it was usually just a 'hello' (not James usual quick pickup line) as their friends chatted.
In Lily's case, this friend was usually Grace.
And here was Grace trying to set Lori on him!
"Who, James?" Asked Lori, snapping Lily out of her daydream. "Nah, he's cute and all, but not my type."
Grace laughed, "Good, more for me then."
Lily inwardly sighed in relief. He was not the kind of guy she wanted her friend to lust after. But then again, Lori tended to go after guys that others were chasing. Lori swung her eyes around to Grace. "Don't bother," she told her amusedly. "He's hooked on Lily. Has been for ages, you know that. Remember fifth year, after that exam." Lori prodded, "And most everyday all of last year?"
"So what? Lily doesn't like him. Leaving James out in the open, right Lil's?"
"Please don't bring that up," Lily groaned. From half way through fifth year, till end of their sixth year, James Potter had been asking her out on a regular basis. It was only this year, their seventh, in which he had seemed to leave her alone. But not entirely, there were after all those funny moments by the window…
Grace grinned, "See?"
Lily was going over the situation in her head, knowing Grace wasn't being serious about James, when, to her utmost horror, the boy in question gathered his belongings and stood, his eyes swinging around to where the five girls sat. Out of the corner of her eye, Lily could have sworn she saw Grace grin. Her thoughts were confirmed when she heard it; "Hey, James!" Grace called, waving him over. "Come, have a seat," she offered when he got close enough. He sat down on the offered space between April and Grace. Lily silently cursed at herself for not getting up and leaving.
"Hey," he greeted with a smile, catching Lily's eye and he winked. 'Lady's man,' she thought, and smiled at him, making it as big and fake as possible.
There was a chorus of hellos and other various greetings in tow. "So Lily, how's your book going?" A cheeky grin now replaced the friendly smile he wore only moments earlier. Lily knew he was referring to the book she had been reading last time he has seen her at the window. She saw her friends questioning gazes (Maybe because they doubted Lily even owned a book she would read in her spare time) but ignored them.
"Wonderful," keeping the obviously fake smile in place and said this is an overly-enthusiastic voice. "Extraordinary. Almost finished." He just looked at her, with raised eyebrows and an amused smile.
"Really? If it's that good, I must borrow it sometime." Lily knew he was just playing with her, but felt her eyes narrow anyway.
Corrine must have noticed because the next moment the topic had changed. "Where's Sirius, Remus, and Peter?" she questioned. He shrugged, relaxing back into his chair. "Peter's attempting his essay. Remus is visiting his ill grandmother, and Sirius just walked in." Lily turned to see a rather tall boy with longish dark hair which hung over eyes make his way over to the table they all sat at.
He smiled cheerfully taking the free seat next to Lily, "Hello all!"
"Hello Sirius," She said amidst all the other welcomes'.
He leaned his head on his hand and stared at her. "How's the book going, Lily?" Apparently James had told Sirius about their 'window conversations.' Before she could reply, James had cut in.
"Very good, Sirius, wonderful even. You'll have to wait your turn through, I'm borrowing it next after Lily's finished."
Something about him made her very jumpy.
Lily was about to say something, but again was interrupted, this time, by Lori. She leaned over and placed her hand on James' shoulder and tossed her honey brown hair over her shoulder, hitting me in the face with it as she did so. "Sorry about her, James, Lily has had a rough week."
What the...? Lily thought, shocked, rolling her eyes. Just a moment ago James wasn't her type, and now? She took her anger out on the table, glaring ruthlessly at. Without looking up, Lily could just see Lori batting her dark eyelashes and flashing her brown eyes, making them as large and as flirty as this guy-hunter could.
"Has she now?" That cheeky grin had returned.
"She has moods all the time. I think it's the red hair." Lori giggled and Lily found herself wanting to kick Lori, very hard. James laughed and she knew the others at the table were all finding this exchange to be much to their amusement - Lily thought it was the smothered giggles that gave it away. Lily on the other hand sat there glaring, slightly less that entertained.
"Or maybe the bad day had something to do with it," Corrine supplied seeing the look on Lily's face. She glanced at her watch quickly. "Oh Lily, we better go send that owl before curfew. Come on," she started to get up and Lily quickly followed immensely grateful for the chance to escape from the group. Grace, Lori and April turned to them confused.
"What letter?" Lori asked looking suspicious.
"One to my sister I've been meaning to send for a while."
Grace looked at Lily suspiciously. "But you hate your sister, Lily."
Lily leaned from foot to foot nervously. "Yes well, I just need to ask her something."
They seemed to accept this answer but Grace still had that look in her eye; the look that told Lily that this conversation wasn't over.
James nodded to Lily and Corrine both, with a triumphant grin that made Lily want to punch him - hard. The two girls made their way quickly out portrait hole and up to the owlery. Lily scribbled a quick note, not to her sister, but to her muggle friend, Cheryl, whom she had known since she was small, telling her she would be home the following weekend for holidays. She attached it to one of the school owl's legs and watched as it flew off into the oncoming darkness.
"Better head back," Corrine said. "We have ten minutes to curfew."
When they entered the common room, Lily's gaze quickly went to the table where her friends (minus James and Sirius) had been sitting. She wasn't sure if she was glad or disappointed when she found it empty. They headed up to their dorm where they found the curtains around April's bed tightly closed. She often was asleep first, and more often than not, the first one up. Grace was still up, engrossed in one of her many Teen-witch magazines as was Lori. Corrine hopped into bed herself but Lori on the other hand squealed in delight, when she noticed the two were back, a beaming smile was on her immaculately painted lips.
"Oh Lily, you didn't tell me that James and you had become friends! I mean, he's liked you for ages, right. But it's great that you two have finally become mates! He must be the hottest guy in Brittan! Now you can hook us up! Do you think he likes me?"
Grace looked over; obviously this conversation was more interesting than what was in her magazine. Corrine paused what she was doing, also taking the time to watch.
Lori was so caught up in her dream world she didn't notice the horrible look Lily was giving her.
"Please don't tell me you've fallen for James Potter now!" Lily exclaimed. "Come on, before you said, and I quote; `he's cute and all, but he's not my type.' What happened to that train of thought? It was a good one! All of a sudden he talks to you and becomes the hottest guy in Brittan? It's not like you've never spoken to him before now!" Lily sighed and rubbed her temples with her fingers. Lori wasn't listening. She had an ecstatic smile planted firmly on her lips. "He's a womanizer, Lori. He's probably got about five different girls over a week. Besides you've never said anything before now and you've been in his classes for the last six years!"
"Not true," she replied stubbornly, still somewhat in a daze. "I've always considered him gorgeous. And he is." She closed the drapes around her bed finishing our conversation.
One fact Lily couldn't argue with.
She sat down on her bed, feeling a headache coming on. "What does it matter, Lily?" Grace asked from her bed. "I mean, like I said earlier; Lori is forever changing her mind about who she likes. Just look at how fast she forgot Aaron Temple." She was quiet for a minute. "Lily, do you like James? Is that what this is all about?"
Lily sucked in a deep breath and glared over at her. "No! Of course not!" She quickly drew her curtains and
laid down trying to block out Grace's words. What was she thinking? Lily had never cared so much about who Lori was
fussing over - why start now? After all, it wasn't as If she liked James. Lily laughed quietly to herself.
James and I, she thought, Yeah, right...when Petunia becomes a witch.
________________
When morning came, last nights argument was put behind the girls and forgotten. Or at least they tried to forget about it. April was up early (as always) and had vast amounts of energy (too much, in Lily's opinion for this early hour), and being her usual bubbly self. She was currently trying to haul the other four all out of bed and down to the great hall for breakfast. Since it was Saturday, none of them felt the urge to comply and hurry to get up. "Come on," April whined as she tugged Lily's blankets off. "I'm hungry!"
"You're always hungry," came the muffled reply from Lily's bed.
With the lack of sheets and blankets, Lily felt forced to get up and face the day. April grinned with triumph when Lily got up and staggered around the dorm, eyes still bleary from sleep. As she got ready, April kept telling her to hurry and to move quicker, which really didn't go down well with Lily as she did her best to move fast while her limbs were still sleepy. As they left, Lily couldn't help but stare enviously at Corrine, Grace and Lori who had all turned a deaf ear and gone back to sleep.
They entered the great hall and went to take seats near the far end of the Gryffindor table. Lily couldn't help but notice James and a few other Gryffindor's a few places down from them.
"Hey Lily, April" said Anna a fourth year, one of the people sitting with James. "There's some free seats here." She nodded at the seat across from her. Lily sighed as April stood and walked down to join them and was forced to follow. It wasn't that she didn't like Anna, she was very friendly and nice. It was James who Lily was uncomfortable sitting with.
"Hello Anna," Lily greeted with a smile taking the seat offered.
"You're up early for a Saturday," she commented with a smile. "It usually takes to about ten before you grace us with your presence."
"April woke me."
She laughed and so did the culprit - other wise known as April. "Oh, by the way, this is Ruth and Jo," Anna said pointing her two friends out. "And I suppose you know James and Remus."
Lily nodded and smiled 'hello' at the rest of the group. "I like your hair," said the small blond girl sitting next to me, who had been introduced as Ruth. "Is it naturally like that, or is it a spell?" She reached out and gently fingered a clump of hair that escaped my rushed pony tail. She seemed curious and fascinated by its' colour.
Lily laughed. "No, unfortunately it grows this way. It seems to have developed an attitude problem."
This didn't seem to faze Ruth in the slightest. "Man, I would kill for hair like this. Want to trade?" she asked with a goofy smile on her face.
"I would in a heart beat, trust me. You don't know what its like."
Ruth gave a grin and resumed eating her breakfast and talking to the Anna and Jo. Lily turned to ask April what she had planned for the day but found herself faced with her back. April it seemed, was having a very expressional conversation with Remus about, from what Lily could gather, some essay they were suppose to be writing.
And she was the one who had dragged her here!
"Know the feeling," said a voice that Lily knew well.
Lily turned slowly and faced the inevitable; James Potter. "Know what feeling?" She asked politely.
"The one where you're forced somewhere against your will, only to be ignored. In fact," he continued, faking a look of surprise. "Gosh! It's happening to me right now!"
Hiding a smile (James Potter is not funny!). "I hope you're not planning to get an acting job with skills like those."
He grinned, "Acting? Nah, that's not on my 'To do' list. Becoming a knight on the other hand..."
"A knight?" Lily questioned curiously.
He took a bite of his toast and grinned, looking at her over the rim of his glasses. "Sure, why not? You don't think I could be one? Ha!" he cried, swinging an invisible sword around, supplying his own sound effects. "Take that you evil being! And that! Whoosh!"
Lily held back a laugh at his antics. "James, you do realize that there are no knights anymore. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a job."
He stopped fighting his invisible opponent and turned to her. "Well sure I realize. But I suppose I could always become a seer," He said thoughtfully. "I mean, Professor Hargot has to retire sometime, she must be like 200 by now!"
"Oh, please no."
"No?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Yeah, why not Lily? He could become take Hargot's place as the new divination teacher," April laughed, leaning into the conversation. Oh, look who wants to talk now…
"Shut up, April." Lily told her trying to glare but failing miserably (It was after all very
early, and everyone knows that you give the best glares when well rested).
"Shutting up."
She turned back to James after a moment, who had his hand held out expectantly. "What?" Lily asked, leaning away from him.
He gave a dramatic sigh. "You're hand Lily. I'll read your palm."
"Oh." Not quite sure of what he was planning, she held out her hand.
"Let's see..." James said, speaking in an airy voice, taking her hand in his larger, warmer one. "Wow, your fingers are like ice!"
Lily snapped her hand back as if burned. "That's very clever of you James; after all, it is cold today." Even through she said this in a sarcastic manner, Lily felt her face flush and pushed her chair back and got up. "I'd better go," she said to April. "See you."
April grumbled a little before returning to her conversation with Remus. Lily swung her eyes over to where James was
sitting. "Bye James." But James didn't say anything in return. When Lily looked over as she hurried out,
he appeared to be deep in thought. Wait - did I just have a semi - friendly talk with James Potter? Feeling
rather angry with herself, she pushed the thought aside. He's a womanizer, Lily. You've seen the
girls; don't become another notch on his nightstand.
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