The Year It All Changed
Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is JKR's.
A/N: Please review ^^
I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can. Exams started today and I really have no time.
This chapter is a bit short, because I didn't have a lot of time to type it.
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Chapter 5
The last place James Potter had ever expected to find himself in the entire wizarding world, no, scratch that, in the entire world was the Library. It was nauseating. It was even worse than being caught naked in the Slytherins common room! No, well, maybe not quite that much. But really, If it wasn't for the wretched Gryffindor girl behind him, he could be safe and warm in his bed, asleep, or better yet, he could be out and about stalking Lily, instead of having her following him in the Library.
Quickly swiping away shaggy, messy dark hair, a grin came upon his face. "Oh, look at this. Do my eyes betray me? Could it be? It's a Quidditch book!" James said grabbing the book from the shelf before him and flipping through it.
"If you don't put that book down, Potter, I'm going to remove your arms." The girl snapped from beside him, and James almost instantly threw the book back into the shelf. Lily, I-had-to-get-up-at-6am-because-of-a-potion-project-and-I'm-working-with-Potter-Lily wasn't someone James wanted to mess with. Despite the fact that she was several inches shorter than him, James knew of her reputation and her temper.
He watched sullenly as Lily moved towards the shelves containing Potion books. "Look Potter. Here it is. Polyjuice Potion. We need Fluxweed, Horn of bicorn, Knotgrass, Lacewing flies, Leeches and skin of Boomslang."
James looked at the page over her shoulder. "This potion allows the drinker to assume the appearance of another person. The effect lasts for an hour. This potion also requires a part of the person you want to assume the appearance of. The fluxweed has to be picked at full moon, and the lacewing flies stewed for 21 days before the potion is made."
Lily shifted uncomfortably. James really was too close to her for comfort. "Get away from me Potter." She stood up abruptly. "We've got what we need. Now lets start working." Besides having to actually make the Potion, the two had to write down what side effects the Potions could have, the consequences of drinking Polyjuice and things that had gone wrong in the past.
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It was about 11 am in the Gryffindor common room. Most of the students were lounging about, having nothing to do. It was the weekend. Sirius, Melody, Hazel and Remus were seated on a sofa close to the fireplace. It was getting rather chilly for October. "Have any of you seen James or Lily?" Hazel questioned, peering around the noisy common room. Remus and Melody shrugged, while Sirius piped up, "I saw Lily come in at the crack of dawn and kidnap him, muttering something about idiotic partners."
Melody grinned. "Ah. She's going to finally finish off the bloke, is she? Good for her."
"Hey! That's my friend you're talking about!" Remus said, making a wounded face as everyone burst out in laughter. "So, Mel, there's a Hogsmeade trip coming up. Who're you going with?" Sirius asked, trying to sound casual. Mel frowned at him. "First of all, don't call me that. My name is Melody. Only my friends can call me Mel. Second of all, it's none of your business. And third of all…" She paused. "Oh, wait. That's it. Never mind."
Hazel smiled. "That's her way of saying that she has no one to go with." "Hazel!" Mel smacked her with a scarlet cushion with a golden fringe. "I don't want you to tell my dating habits out to the world. Especially people who'll hold it against me that they got a date before me."
Sirius smirked. "Face it Mel, I can get a date with whoever and whenever I want. You cannot beat that." Melody scowled at him. "Is that so? Well, then. I'll bet you that I'll get a date before you and with the most handsome bloke you've ever set your eyes on. And I'll do it before the Hogsmeade trip." She smiled triumphantly.
Sirius nodded slowly. "And if I get a date with the most gorgeous bird you've ever seen before you get your date, then what?" Melody pondered this for a moment. "Well, whoever gets the date second has to do whatever the other asks for a week." "Alright, agreed." Sirius said quickly.
"So, who do you think is going to win?" Remus asked Hazel in a low voice. Hazel smiled quietly. "It'll be close and quite interesting, but I think that Mel is going to win."
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"Okay, we're done." James sighed and slumped back into his chair. Who knew copying down things from a bloody book could be so tiring? He snapped the book shut and glanced at Lily who seemed to be perfectly awake and energetic. How did she do it? Lily smiled at James. "Alright, let's go." Lily stood up and the two stepped out of the Library. They were close to the Potions class when Lily stopped. "Oh no! I left my bag in the Library. The list of ingredients is in it." She glanced at James. "Could you please get it?"
He nodded. "Wait right here. I'll be right back." Lily didn't really feel comfortable staying alone near the Slytherins common room, but she agreed. James had barely been gone a couple of minutes, when Lily heard low voices coming towards. She really wasn't in the mood to face any insulting Slytherins. She quickly jumped behind a statue standing close to her.
"We'll be meeting him in a couple of months. You'll have to be ready of course. He'll want to question you about everything you know." The voice that answered was strangely familiar. Lily peeked out from behind the stone statue. There, standing right in front of her was Narcissa Black and Severus Snape.
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It was a week later that the six, the Marauders, Lily, Melody, and Hazel were sitting in the Great Hall eating breakfast. "So, Mel, got a date yet?" Sirius smirked as he shuffled scrambled eggs into his mouth. "The Hogsmeade trip is only a week away."
Melody avoided his gaze. "Of course I have. What do you think? Do you have a date?" She turned to look at him. Sirius nodded immediately. "I'm going with Sydney MaCilson. Asked her last week. So, I guess we both win then?"
"I guess so." Melody said, gulping down her pumpkin juice. She jumped up a few minutes later and headed for Amos Diggory who was sitting at the Hufflepuff table. She sat down next to him and soon, loud giggles could be heard from her.
She walked back to the group several minutes later, looking like a satisfied cat that'd gotten a bowl of cream. "That was my date. Just wanted to go over and say hello."
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Two of the three girls rushed about getting ready before the Hogsmeade visit. Which was in one hour. Lily and Melody both had dates while Hazel sat, ready, on her bed, looking amused. "Adam's probably waiting for me outside the portrait. He said he would."
"Amos is waiting for me in the Great Hall." Mel said, as she quickly applied lipstick. "I'm almost done." She ran her hand through her hair and smiled. "There, that was easy." Hazel snorted. "You've been getting ready for almost three hours. I didn't know you liked Amos that much."
"I don't. I want Sirius to think I do so he gets jealous." Melody smiled angelically and sat down on her bed. She was dressed in a pale pink blouse and a black skirt. Lily too, had just finished. Her hair was pinned up in a sophisticated bun and she was dressed in a black sweater and surprisingly, blue jeans. "Okay, lets go. I'm ready too."
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"Lily! Hey Lily!" James hurried to catch up with her. She was walking with Davies. "Could I talk to you for a moment? It's quite important." Lily sighed, looked at Adam and then nodded. "Alright Potter, but I only have a few seconds."
"Okay." James led her a few feet away and then said, "We need to meet up in the Three Broomsticks…" Lily cut him off. "For heaven's sake Potter! I am on a date! I will not meet up with you in the middle. I am surprised you thought that I would meet…"
"Lily! We need to meet because the potion is due next week and we haven't made any preparations. We need to finish them today so we can be done in time."
"Oh." Lily said, frowning. "Well, this is a problem. I guess we can meet for half an hour and figure out the details." James nodded. "I'll wait for you in the Three Broomsticks around three."
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Lily and Adam were walking hand in hand, around Hogsmeade. They'd been doing that for the past hour. And Lily loved it. "Adam, I need to stop at the Three Broomsticks." Lily said hesitantly. She hadn't felt like telling him before it was necessary. It would just have spoiled their date.
Adam smiled at her. "Do you want a butterbeer?"
"No, actually, I have to meet Potter there." Adam stopped and stared at her. "Well, I didn't know you had a date with Potter later." Lily quickly shook her head. "No, well…er, I have to meet him there to finish some Potions assignment. I completely forgot about it and we have to be done in a week." Adam slowly nodded. It was apparent that he didn't at all like the idea of Lily meeting another bloke while on a date with him.
"I suppose it's okay. Let's get on with it then." He let go of her hand and walked slightly ahead of her. Lily sighed. The date had been going so well. She really detested overprotective boyfriends. The two entered the cozy and crowded pub. Lily immediately caught sight of James. It was as if her eyes were magnetically drawn to him. He was sitting with Remus and Peter.
She walked over to him, with Adam dogging her footsteps. "Hello Potter." She took a seat, removing her scarf. "Let's get on with it, shall we?" Adam purposefully sat down next to her. "Potter, Remus." He ignored Peter. "Where that other person that hangs around you? Black, is it?"
James nodded at him. "Davies. He's on a date." Lily meanwhile was pulling out a list from her bag. "Here we are. Let's get it done with Potter." She quickly scribbled "Polyjuice" on the top. "Right then. We're done all the written things. And we've started brewing the potion. Now we need to figure out who's going to tend to it at what times."
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A/N: Review please ^^ LOTS of James/Lily action coming in the next chapter. Oh, and the description for Polyjuice Potion from Mugglenet.
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