Chapter 15-Piggy Me Back! And Mars Bars?
James sighed, massaging his head before jumping to his feet in the direction of where Lily ran off. He ran through the darkness, pushing past tree branches and manoeuvring over bushes, completely at a loss to where exactly he was, especially when it was a gloomy black. Smacking himself in the head for his stupidity, he grabbed his wand out of his back pocket and muttered a 'lumos.'
It wasn't any comforting to illuminate the dark forest he had somehow got himself into.
"Lily?" He called, still running the trail. "Lily, where are y-WAAAH!"
James felt something push on both his legs, making him fall forwards and onto his stomach. "Bugger it," he grunted, especially not in a good mood to have landed in a mound of leaves.
"Oh. So you fell over the same thing I did."
James jumped, instantly recognising the voice. "Lily?" He grasped for his wand that had fallen out of his hand and pointed it to the side of him. "There you are," he greeted her with a sigh of relief, then made a frown as he realised she was lying on the ground with her ankle in an odd position. "What are you doing on the floor?"
"I enjoy lying on the floor for amusement, James," she rolled her eyes, "My ankle's hurt, idiot!"
James cringed and got to his feet, luckily not having any injuries. "Wait, what thing did we both fall over?"
Lily pointed her finger and he followed his gaze with his wand over to a piece of string which was tied between two trees. Abruptly, James turned white - he knew that exact piece of string was a Marauder prank speciality; it was an old Muggle joke but it worked wonders in Hogwarts corridors on people like Snape or innocent bystanders.
"I wonder what twat put that up," Lily grumbled.
Like hell would James tell her it was one of the Marauders - however, he had to thank them. This had probably been their Plan B if the fireworks idea was unsuccessful, stopping Lily by any force, so much force that it tripped her up and sprawled her on the floor.
Lily made a painful hiss as she clutched her ankle.
"Can you walk?" James asked, kneeling next to her.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno. I haven't tried yet." She put her hands flat to the ground to bend on her tiptoes, trying to slowly stand with weight off her left foot, but she flinched as James grasped her arm to help her.
She flicked her finger at his face.
"Ow!" James clutched his cheek. "What the hell was that for?"
"I don't need your help," she said stubbornly and elbowed his arm away.
"Fine," James backed up and smiled in amusement. He folded his arms in a parental way and watched Lily grumble painfully as she struggled to her feet. As her left leg was lifted, she slowly touched it to the ground and made a cry of agony, making another cry as she faltered and fell again.
But she wasn't worried. Because James Potter would be a gentleman and obviously catch her in his arms.
Too bad he didn't.
"Um..." James watched Lily lie on the ground making a sort of peculiar whimper. "Was that my cue to, er-"
"Help me up, you prat!"
James quickly hurried over to her and Lily tried for a second time to stand, which was successful but only with the help of James supporting her.
"We better get you to the Hospital wing."
