A/N: This installment is very dramatic, the most so far in the series. I promise more humor in the next chapter, though. This is a very important segment, I really hope you like it!!
CHAPTER EIGHT
She clutched her books tightly to her chest, feeling the dampness seep through her thin satin robes billowing softly behind her. She continued down the long and gloomy corridor, barely able to see her hand in front of her face for the lack of proper lighting. A handful of flickering torches lined the stony walls, emitting an incandescent glow that bounced frightfully off the shining knights of armor, looming menacingly around each corner- their weapons raised as if to strike.
Lily walked the familiar path to the dungeons three days a week for potions class and nearly every evening for patrols, but the long and cavernous walk never seemed so sinister when James was with her.
James.
The redhead turned her thoughts to the previous day's events, a small smile playing on her rosy lips. She was beside herself that James had won, although she knew he would, and recalled seeing his beaming face, his hazel eyes glinting with joy and triumph as he hovered inches from the ground.
That grin was different. Post victory he could usually be seen strutting around the pitch as if he owned it, ruffling his hair and taking all the credit for a 'team-effort' achievement. But this time was different. It was…humble. He was genuinely grateful for his win, congratulating his fellow teammates and leaving the Gryffindor celebration early, well before the butterbeers were even served. Nor did he revel in his eminent conquest, taunting the loser or berating his opponent's apparent lack of skills.
Lily had never seen James behave this way, and she mentally scolded herself for liking it. She told her intruding band of friends the Heads' relationship was strictly professional; it was natural for James to escort Lily to the masquerade. It isn't a sin for her to happen to enjoy his company, was it? It wasn't as if she was falling madly in love with him, they fought like children! Or did they? Lily tried to recall the last argument she and James had actually gotten in to, and had to stop abruptly in the middle of the dungeons to do so- tilting her head slightly upward and placing an index finger beneath her pointed chin.
"So, Potter's personal prize wasn't a title well-suited enough for you? Had to turn yourself from a ludicrous metaphor into the actual tainted object itself?" a hollow voice sneered from beneath the ominous shadows.
Lily jumped a foot in the air, green eyes wide with terror as she jerked her head to the left, long ginger tresses in tow, and nearly suffocated herself with the books she held so tightly against her diaphragm.
"Don't tell me you've become the next brainless member of the imprudently estrogen-based organization that worships the very ground he walks on, batting their eyelashes in hopes of an egocentric grin sent their direction," the mysterious figure continued, greasy locks hanging loosely about his sallow face as he slinked from behind a large woolen tapestry.
"Severus!"
"What brings you to this distinctly remote area of the castle, particularly without your valiant escort for protection," he drawled, narrowing his coal black eyes at the frightened redhead quivering in his midst.
"I- I was returning these textbooks to Professor Slughorn; he wanted to speak with me about another Slu- er, meeting."
"For his pathetic society for the less-than-talented? You know, Lily, you wouldn't even be among the 'coveted elite' if it weren't for our five years of esteemed partnership; let's face it, a mudblood like yourself with the mediocre skill you possess only remains an affiliate of your dismal 'Slug Club' because of your, how shall I put this?- outward appearance. Are you a desirable accolade for Slughorn as well? Going to his office in the middle of the night to 'pay your dues?'"
"You disgust me, Snape," Lily spat with green eyes blazing, her words dripping with venom, "I don't have to take this from you-"
"Just answer me this, Lily, why did you do it? Now you're just like every other mindless witch that blindly roams the halls with her head in the clouds and a pile of drool trailing after just at the prospect of a go with that bigheaded imbecile. He's so arrogant, Lily, surely you can do better. Even Fenwick was a superior choice, albeit he couldn't find his way out of a paper bag-"
"He is not arrogant! And what's it any concern of yours who I go out with? We're the heads of the school, it's natu-"
"Oh, don't give me that rubbish, Lily, who do you take me for? You're only kidding yourself with that dismal excuse, any idiot can see right through it. You're just as bad as he is for placing yourself in the middle like that- do you get a thrill out of watching others brutally fight for your affections? Perhaps the death eaters could use a mudblood in their poss-"
But he didn't get to finish.
Lily was furiously standing over a passed out Snape, having been hit squarely in the chest with a body-binding hex, among a variety of others. Needless to say, he wasn't going anywhere for quite a while. Tears stung the corners of Lily's blinking emerald jewels, sparkling amidst the crackling flames of the solemn fiery torches.
Her body was rigid, shaking from the events that had just transpired, her mind buzzing with fervor and ready to explode. She raced down the empty corridor, scarlet mane thrashing in her wake as she desperately made her way back to the dormitories, her hand still clenched tightly around her slender wand.
"Hahahaha, Sirius, quit!"
"Get back in th- OI!" Sirius yelled as Lily ran into him full force, knocking the pair to the ground.
A startled-looking witch stared horrified at the brutal collision, smacking her dainty hands to a set of blotchy pink cheeks. The raven-haired girl with striking blue eyes had been exiting a cluttered broom cupboard, followed by a rather cheeky Sirius, after becoming better acquainted with one another when the heartrending redhead came barreling down the corridor.
"Sorry!" Lily squealed as she clambered into a standing position, resuming her sprint down the otherwise desolate hallway while Sirius and his date stared bewilderedly after.
The portrait hole in sight, Lily continued her mad dash to the dorms, streams of sorrow dripping silently down her reddened cheeks as she rounded another corner.
"Lily?" a voice called from beside her, ringing in her ears as she halted to an awkward stop.
The Head Girl turned around slowly with an air of defeat, gradually meeting her predator's gaze. She felt as though her spirit had been crushed, like a ghost now resided in her soul- a mere memory of who Lily used to be. She longed for nothing more than to crawl in the nearest hole and die, to be free from everything happening around her.
"Can I talk to you?" the young man asked flatly, shoving his hands deeply into the pockets of his trousers and staring down at the regal carpet strewn upon the stony floor.
"Sure, Benjy," Lily squeaked, her voice barely above a whisper as she tried to hold back her tears.
"I know you like that Potter bloke. We haven't really gone out in ages, but I did genuinely like you. Did," he added ardently, not tearing his gaze from the floor, "All you had to do was say 'no.' I've been turned down before, Lily, it's not like I couldn't handle it. But I didn't expect to have to go through this," he scoffed, tiny waterfalls pouring down Lily's poignant face.
"I mean you humiliated me. How could you do that? What did I ever do to you? Other than ask you out, which Potter did every day for six years- I mean, I just don't understand it. Why did you have to drag me into it? That was a sick game you played Evans, with a stunt like that your Heads' badge should be revoked," and with that he strode off in the opposite direction, his footsteps echoing down the isolated corridor leaving a sobbing Lily whimpering in his wake.
A/N: Poor Lily : ( That chapter didn't have any humor at all! I'm terribly sorry, I didn't mean for it to pan out that way. But a little drama now gets you a LOT of marauders later! The next chapter more than makes up for this one in the humor dept., a much lighter tone to offset the drama. But it can't be all fun and games. The end is in sight now, just a few more chapters to go!! Please read and review!! The more feedback I get the quicker I'll update! ; )