Chapter Four: Patrolling With Prongs
Freshly showered, Lily dressed in her favorite oxford shirt and skirt. She didn't even glance at Snape or the Marauders as she walked to her spot next to Alice at the Gryffindor table. She was hell-bent on a mission to talk to Alice about her new dog.
"Oh, I found the cutest little doggy," Lily gushed when Alice asked her about her adventures in Hogsmeade. "I also saw this handsome stag in the wood near the Shrieking Shack. I wanted to bring the dog here but I don't think that Dumbledore will allow me to keep a dog in our dorm."
"Why not? He lets those nosy Marauders sleep in a room, when we all know they belong in the Forbidden Forrest," Alice said pointedly at the group of boys that were so blatantly listening in. The boys began to look around rather comically, as they knew that they had been caught but were choosing not to acknowledge it. Lily laughed, as did a few others who had heard Alice's comment.
"After patrol, I am going to find him," Lily said grinning as she readied to eat the bite of food that she had cut. She hadn't even noticed the Marauders. "I hope he doesn't have fleas."
"Well, at least there will be a full moon tonight," Alice contended. "That'll make it easier for you to see." Lily smiled and nodded.
The four Marauders spit their pumpkin juice out at each other in a loud, wet spray, getting laughter all around. They, too, laughed but gave each other worried looks. Tonight was the full moon. How could they forget? How could they have forgotten something so important? Worst of all, Lily would be out near the shrieking shack looking for Sirius-cum-Padfoot.
"You have to keep her from looking for the dog," Remus whispered, looking rather peaky. James nodded. They had serious, stern looks on their face.
"I guess we are doing this one without you, James," Peter said rather nervously. James and Sirius nodded.
"See you three in the morning," James said later that afternoon, waving them off. It was dusk, nearly dark, and the three would head to the Shrieking Shack: Peter as a rat, Sirius the dog, and Remus as just Remus. The moon rise would send Remus into his monthly change and sweet, sweet Remus would become a werewolf. James watched as evening turned dark, alone in his room with just his homework.
"Potter, you are late," Lily snapped crossly. She had her arms crossed her breasts, and she was tapping her foot impatiently. "We agreed to meet half an hour ago."
"Sorry, Evans," James replied tersely. He hadn't planned on fall asleep doing homework. He rubbed his head sleepily. They were back to using last names. He could already tell it was going to be one hell of a night. "I got held up, you know, Quidditch," James lied in a quiet mumbling sort of way.
"That explains the smell," Lily groaned as she took a step away from him. James pulled at his robes and smelled. He didn't smell anything. Shrugging, he followed after Lily to do their patrolling. They walked for a while in silence.
"So, um, I hear you found a dog," James said after a while. He hated the silence; the only sound was of their feet on the stone floors.
"Hmm," Lily murmured as if she wasn't really interested in what he had to say. She glanced behind a tapestry where people tended to try to hide behind. "Revelio." Nothing happened. Satisfied she continued up the hall.
"Why do you like Greasy so much?" James asked as he fiddled with his wand, rolling it across the back of his hand.
"His name isn't Greasy," Lily scowled at James. She continued walking.
"You shouldn't defend him," James told her. "He's all wrong for you."
"And what? You are just right for me?" Lily asked hotly, her voice raised and strained against the anger that she was trying to keep in check. They had again stopped.
"At least I am not a Slytherin," James said as his own voice etched up a few octaves. Lily looked like she could have killed him with her very wand.
"Shh!" hissed the nearest paint. The two continued along in silence. Lily was fuming and James could practically feel the heat of anger radiating from her. Lily slipped and half a breath later, so did James. They were laying flat on their backs in a two inch puddle of water.
"Damn Moaning Myrtle," Lily swore as she sat up, shaking the water off her hands. James looked at her and laughed hard, tears springing to his eyes. Lily began laughing too, the two of them sitting in water in the middle of the hall. Lily tried to stand but found that her ankle was sprained, causing her great amounts of pain. Her expression went wide with pain.
"I think I should carry you to the hospital wing," James said quietly as Lily remained down on the floor. This would keep her put for a little bit. Lily hated the idea of being carried like a helpless being but unlike when James was cut on her knife, it hurt for Lily even to think of putting weight on that leg. James scooped her up rather effortlessly, not at all surprised to find her a light load to carry.
"This is mortifying, just so you know," Lily groaned as James laid her on one of the beds in the hospital wing. The place was dead silent, like much of the castle, at this hour. Lily tilted back on the bed as James peeled the shoes and socks from her feet. One of her ankles was huge, purple, and swollen. With Madame Pomphrey out for the evening, James fetched ice and Madame Pomphrey's sports maladies book.
"You have to elevate it," James said as he read from the book. He snatched two pillows from one of the other beds and placed them carefully under her feet. He wrapped the ice in a towel and placed it on the injured ankle.
He glanced at her to find her studying the ceiling rather intensely, her arm tucked carefully behind her head. The hem of her skirt edged closer to her waist, exposing previously unseen inches of her thighs. James tried to play it cool, swallowing nervously.
"Your skirt," he mumbled as he turned away. When he turned back, she looked unmoved, as if she hadn't even heard him. Her skirt was back in place, stuck by a well cast spell. The only hint that she had heard him was the bright pink cheeks of Lily's embarrassment. Other wise, it was as if nothing was said.
Lily nodded off after a while only to be awaken by Madame Pomphrey's words-
"Has she been bitten?"
Lily shook her head slowly, to clear her mind. She fought it, but lost. She was still very much tired, the hour was late. She couldn't hear James' response and instead felt James' hand on her hand as Madame Pomphrey bandaged her foot. Already it was looking much better.
"Drink this," Madame Pomphrey said anxiously. Lily was half asleep but still managed to do as told and drank the draught, a quick, potent sleeping draught.
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