Chapter 3 �“ Doubt
Not one of those dreams again! thought James. He slowly woke up, only to remember part of his dream. A dark shadow slithering around the streets, and just when he raised his wand in front of a door, James woke up. It had been bothering him for quite a while.
“Prongs, you were screaming out in your dreams. Besides waking all of us up, you seemed to be in… discomfort, shall we say?” said Sirius.
James realized they were all staring at him very hard, as if about to ask him what the matter was. Sirius was looking undecided as to whether make a joke of it or take it seriously.
“I don’t know what it was, but whatever, it doesn’t really matter,” he said, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. Instead, he started telling them about what Lily had said to him the day before. The marauders all interestedly put their heads together, and when James was done, they were in complete awe.
“Well done, Prongs!”
“You were bound to get there someday, our little Jamesie, we just weren’t very sure of when!”
“That’s awesome, James, now you can ask her out!” That, as is obvious, was Peter. James sobered up.
“No, Peter, I’ve already done that too many times. I have to prove to her that I am responsible and trustworthy. “
While Peter looked guilty, and shocked at seeing James so serious, Sirius fell to the floor and started cracking up.
“I’m sorry, Prongs, but I have never seen you so serious!” He said in between short breaths. “Really, it’s not that I think you aren’t responsible, it’s just…. so….funny!” He tried to explain, seeing James’s confused and offended face. Slowly, James started to laugh.
“I guess it must have been pretty funny, huh? When you fall for a girl, Padfoot, let’s see how you will sound, and see if I don’t make fun of you then!” He said half-jokingly.
“Me? Seriously fall for a girl like you have? If you think that, Prongs, then you really don’t know me,” he said, still laughing. “I am, after all, Sirius Black.”
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As the Marauders were going to dinner, Professor Dumbledore showed up and asked James to follow him. Behind him was Lily, who looked, for a second, as if she wanted to hit Dumbedore. It was only a second, though, for she regained her composure quickly, and looked as if Professor Dumbledore's asking James to follow him didn't bother her at all.
James and Lily exchanged a quick glance between each other, and then James fell in step with Lily and followed Dumbledore.
After what seemed an eternity of stairs and twisted corridors, Professor Dumbledore stopped before a painting and turned around.
“Well, Mr. Potter, Ms. Evans, I am sure you are wondering what this is all about,” he said, looking at the expectant faces. “You see, every year, the head Boy and the Head Girl share a dorm. Last night, I realized you both looked very tired, and even worried, so I decided to simply let you sleep. Now, though, I must tell you, since I have already asked the house elves to move your entire luggage to the dorms. You will each have a room, and share a common room.” He stopped for a while, looking amused at Lily’s gaping face. Realizing what she was doing, she tried to revise her face and act as if she had known about this all along.
Stealing a quick glance at James, she saw, with disgust, that he was smirking as always, seeming to really enjoy this moment. Once he caught Lily’s disgusted face, though, he tried to put on a more neutral face.
When they realized that Dumbledore was still there, waiting patiently, for them to turn their attention back to him, they quickly tried to hide their emotions. He smiled, turned their back to them, and uttered what seemed to be the password, “Sherbet lemon.” Slowly, the knight in the painting bowed, and it slowly started moving, giving way to the most beautiful room they had ever seen, draped with gold and red everywhere. It seemed as if there was two of everything. Two couches, two tables, two huge lamps…
“Ahem,” said Dumbledore, making them, once again, notice he was still there. “Well, that is it. I hope you gotten the password?” he said, tilting his head while asking. He nodded after Lily said it. “Well, I’ll leave you here to get familiarized with it. You should be getting to the Great Hall in fifteen minutes,” he said, checking his watch.
Lily and James nodded once again.
“It’ll be hard to remember the way here,” mumbled Lily.
Encouraged that she had spoken without seeming disgusted by him, James said, “Don’t worry, I remember the way.” More under his breath, he muttered, “It’s not like I haven’t been here before.” Unintentionally, Lily heard this, and chose not to say anything about it.
They walked in tentatively, and Lily opened the door to the room that had her name written in it, and gasped. She was completely speechless. This room had everything she had ever wanted.
She turned to see James wearing the same expression on his face. Smiling, she called out, “Ten more minutes and we have to go to the Great Hall.”
“Sure, Evans. Is your room as great as mine, by the way? Because mine is just, incredible,” he muttered, more to himself than for her.
“Yeah, my room is pretty awesome. I love it. It must have a certain charm on it that allows the owner to have exactly what they want for a room. How ‘bout you, Potter?”
“That does make sense. But then again, Evans, when do you not make sense? Except when you don’t accept my dates, that’s around the only time you don’t make sense, and I’m sure the whole school would agree with me on that one. Since we’re at it already, you want to go out with me, Lily?” He asked, hopeful once more.
Should I say yes and make the guy happy? Or should I just say no, as always? Because the only reason I would say yes is because he looks so pathetic and hopeful, not because I actually want to go out with him. He also said that I don’t make sense when I reject him! Honestly!
Yes, I’m sure that’s why, Lily dear. I definitely see many reasons why you wouldn’t want to go out with James Potter, the greatest Quidditch player this school has ever seen, and a guy who has been pining for you since first year. No, I really see no reasons at all.
Some five feet away, James was seeing Lily struggle and was very, very happy.
Will she say yes? Finally? At the beginning of seventh year, will the girl of my dreams finally say yes to a date, in which I can show her I’m not what she is always calling me? Will she? Will we have the rest of our seventh year together, as a happy couple?
Now, James, let’s not get our hopes up! Imagine if she says no, you’ll be depressed for a whole week, I know you. Please try to imagine the possibility of her saying no, at least try. It will do wonders for your depression next week.
Not even my own conscience trusts me! Really, if I didn’t have myself to praise me, I would be a pretty low self-esteemed bloke!, he thought.
A/N: hello! I know it took a long time for this chapter to finally get here, I'll try for chapter 4 to be here faster, and for it to be longer! Please leave a review when you're done reading, though, and tell me what your thoughts are... Since I'm not really finished with chapter 4, you can even give me suggestions if you want: should Lily say yes or no? I REALLY want to know what you guys think! Thanks for reading!
~Clara