For a moment she just stared at them all in horror, her mouth slightly open. Then she stood up and turned to go, only to find her face inches James Potter’s. He looked a bit confused.
“Was there something you needed?” he asked.
She stepped away from him and gave him the nastiest look she could muster. “I need to get out.” She said through her teeth.
“But why!” exclaimed Sirius in mock dismay. “We were having so much fun. After all, it was you who entered our compartment. You can’t just leave!”
Try me. She found herself wishing fervently she was back in the prefect carriage. “I only came in here because I thought this was where my friends were.”
“But your friends are here,” said James. She glared at him so hard he seemed in danger of catching on fire. “Oh, just get out of my way.”
He stepped aside from the doorway and looked even more confused, as well as hurt.
She swept past him and out into the merciful corridor. She checked every compartment until she found one that contained the familiar faces of Anne and Jen.
“But”I”Lily”” stammered James desperately from behind her.
She turned around in a flash. “And DON’T call me Lily!”
With that, she whirled and yanked open the other door. No doubt they’re all laughing their heads off. As if I would ever seek out their horrific company… That was what she hated about Potter. He thought other people’s embarrassment was just the funniest thing in the world. How did he ever manage a position as Head Boy?
Jen and Anne appeared to have been talking, though they stopped when she came in.
“So?” said Anne expectantly as Lily sat down. “How’d it go?”
“How’d what go?” she said glumly, setting down the parchments in her hand. “The meeting, or the most embarrassing moment of my life?”
“Eh?”
“What happened, Lily?”
As she explained the story, Jen’s expression became more and more bewildered. “I don’t get it. It doesn’t sound like he did anything to embarrass you.”
“Well”I”what matters was that I was embarrassed, okay?” spluttered Lily. Jen gave her a ‘you’re paranoid’ look. “Riiiiiight. Look, Lil, it sounds like you just want an excuse not to like him.”
“I do not!” she said grumpily. Anne, who had remained silent throughout this narrative, suddenly burst out, “Oh, this is all my fault!”
Lily looked confused. “What? Why?”
“I was the one who told you we were going to be in the very last compartment! I’m so sorry, can you ever forgive me?”
Lily laughed. “Of course, don’t get so flustered about it! I should have looked to see who was in there before I just barged right in. Don’t let it get to you.”
Anne sniffed. “Thanks.”
“Aw, Kodak moment!” said Lily, clasping her hands over-sentimentally.
Jen looked curious. “What’s Kodak?”
“It’s…oh, nevermind.”
“If I may have all your attention, please.”
It was a stormy night in the Great Hall at Hogwarts (at least, according to the ceiling).
The chatter which had been going on before Professor Dumbledore spoke subsided.
“Now, I know you have all come a long way and are most likely ravenous.” He said, smiling. “Therefore, I have nothing else to say besides ‘dig in’!” There was a ripple of appreciative laughter before food appeared on the four long House tables, and everyone turned their attention towards them. Lily, Anne, and Jennifer, who were sitting side-by-side, returned to their conversation.
“Okay, so he said what again?”
Lily gave Anne an exasperated look. “I told you, he called me Lily and I told him not to. Well actually, I kind of yelled it.”
Anne squealed. “Gah!” yelled Jen. “Jeez, Anne, you have to stop doing that!”
“Sorry, it’s just…I knew it! I knew he’d still like you, even though you’re so frosty! Sorry,” she added quickly, looking rather sheepish.
“So yeah, Potter still likes me, the sky is still blue, blah blah blah. What else is new? Personally, I couldn’t care less if he was on the other side of the world.”
“She looks as if she wouldn’t care if you were on the other side of the world, mate.”
Sirius tried to snap James out of it as he gazed down the Gryffindor table at Lily Evans. She was chatting with her friends and did not even glance at James. He, meanwhile, was not listening to a word Sirius was saying.
Why is it she still hates me so much? Can she be that prejudiced? I did my best to be polite…Remus even gave me by-mail lessons. Thanks by the way for that, Moony.
“I wonder what they’re talking about…” he muttered. Sirius gave Remus a dark look.
“See what I mean? It looks like he’s about to drool. In fact…I think he is drooling.”
Remus put down his cup of pumpkin juice. “Oh, I don’t know,” he said fairly. “It looks like he’s just thinking.”
Sirius rolled his eyes. “Yeah, it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he’s been staring at Lily Evans for the past ten minutes. Watch.” He leaned towards James. “Prongs? Oy, earth to Prongs! Woo-oo!” He waved his hand desperately in front of James’ face, who just sighed.
“See what I mean?” Sirius repeated as he sat down again. Remus just laughed. Suddenly, James turned away and put his chin in his hands. “I don’t get it!” he said. “Why does she hate me so much?”
“Well now, shall we do a quick review?” Said Sirius in his best teacher voice. “First year, levitated a balloon full of icy lake water right over her head. Granted you didn’t know her yet. Second year, threw a plate full of spaghetti at her back””
“That was an accident! I was aiming for Snape, you know I was, she just happened to walk in front of him!”
Remus gave Sirius a ‘can’t-you-see-he’s-in-pain’ look. Peter spoke up.
“Just because a certain blonde didn’t snog you the minute you got off the train doesn’t mean you have to take it out on us.”
Sirius smacked him on the side of the head, although he was for once lost for words.
Back at Lily’s end of the table, she was staring at a certain raven-haired someone, although with a little less fondness. Stupid prat, she thought. Why does he have to be so annoying? Why can’t he just leave me alone? I swear, if he wasn’t wearing a bloody badge on his chest, I wouldn’t even talk to him this year. She stabbed a baked potato with her fork in frustration. Taking her eyes off Potter, she turned instead to look at her friends.
Anne was a brown-eyed brunette who had a tendency to laugh at rather inappropriate times. She was the picture of cheerfulness and optimism, always looking on the bright side of the situation. Most people thought she was a bit useless and ditsy. Lily knew better. Anne was capable of unbelievable amounts of loyalty and courage, although very few knew it. Like the time in fifth year when Lily had been going to Hogsmeade with Amos Diggory, Anne had let her use the very last of her precious hair mousse.
Jennifer, on the other hand, was basically a real-life Malibu Barbie. She was very tall, and had tan skin that contrasted with her wavy blonde hair. Her eyes were Lily’s favorite part though. The left one was blue, while the right was half brown and half green. She had gone out with several guys in the past couple years, although they had been too intimidated by her good looks and she had dumped them. That was the way Jen worked. You couldn’t handle her, she couldn’t stand you. But just like Anne she had a hidden side. If you knew her well enough, she was really kind and caring. Most of the time she covered it up with her adorable cynicism.
As Lily looked at her friends, she couldn’t help but chuckle softly. They were so different…and yet they fit together so well. It was like they’d swapped personalities so that they were as confusing as possible. She couldn’t have asked for better friends. Unlike a certain someone and his two moronic cronies. Without thinking, she looked back at Potter.
Meanwhile, Anne and Jen watched Lily. They slipped each other knowing looks when she turned her attention back to Potter. Each of them knew the other knew Lily didn’t know she liked him. It was a little thing called, ‘denial’. He wasn’t a truly bad guy, after all. He’d cleaned up his act a bit.
You see, they had made a deal with each other at the end of last year; that no matter how much she protested, Lily would be going out with James Potter by the end of seventh year. And both of them fully intended to keep it.
“Anne?” Jen whispered. Anne raised her eyebrows as a sign she had heard. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Anne grinned and nodded.
“Good,” said Jen, smirking as well. “Then let the games begin.”
L'Amour Commence by Pinkerton
Chapter Notes: Took-so-long-must-repress-shame--GAH! D;