Not a Monster (Marauder fanfic)

24- Forgiveness

After everything that had happened between James and Snape, Sara thought that her and Lily would never be friends. Because of her friendship with James and Sirius, and Lily's friendship with Snape.
But on the last night of their 5th year, Lily decided to overcome her hatred for the Marauders, and make up with Sara.
Once the girls had changed into their pajamas one night, Lily made her way across their bedroom, and towards Sara.
Marlene stopped talking to Sara, and stepped to the side, when she saw Lily approach them.
"What do you want?" Marlene asked, trying not to sound rude.
"I wanted to speak to Sara. Alone" replied Lily.
Marlene looked back at Sara, who nodded her head, before leaving the two alone, and returning to her own bed.
"What did you want to talk to me about Lily?" Questioned Sara, sighing.

Lily looked around the room, at the others, who were trying to make it look like they weren't eavesdropping.
"Can we talk somewhere else?" Asked Lily quietly.
Sara nodded her head, and pushed herself up off the bed, heading for their shared bathroom.
Once inside, she locked the door and faced Lily.
"What is it?" She questioned, leaning against one of the sinks.
"I- I wanted to apologise for my behaviour towards you" stuttered Lily.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes. I've come to realise that you shouldn't be blamed for Potter and Black's behaviour. So I would like to ask for your forgiveness... And I would like us to be friends"
"I thought the whole reason we weren't friends, is because you hate my best friends. So unless you've decided that the boys aren't so bad, I don't see how this friendship can ever work".

"I've been spending a lot of time with Remus, since we are both Gryffindor Prefects. And I've realised how caring, and kind he is. Which makes me think that maybe I misjudged you, and your part in the group" admitted Lily.
"So, you don't hate me and Remus any more?" Quizzed Sara curiously.
"I never hated you Sara. Or Remus. I hated that you were friends with Potter and Black. But I never hated you"
"James and Sirius aren't that bad, if you got to know them, just like you have with Remus, you'd see that they have a softer side as well"
"Thanks for the offer, but I plan on staying as far away from them as possible"
"I guess I can understand why you'd want to keep your distance from James. It can't be easy, constantly being around someone who fancies you"
"Please don't remind me. I wish Potter would just give up all ready. I am never going to go out with him".

"I know. I heard you the other day. 'I wouldn't date you, if it was a choice between you, or the giant squid'" immitated Sara.
Lily blushed.
"I don't sound like that" she protested.
"Are you sure?"
"O.K, maybe a bit. But James was really annoying me that day. And you saw the way he treated Sev- never mind.. I just wish that you could convince James to leave the both of us alone"
"That is never going to work. James is really into you... How are things between you and Snivellus anyway?"
"I don't want to talk about it... Look, I'll make a deal with you Sara. I won't talk bad about your friends, if you don't talk to me about mine, or ever mention Severus around me"
"O.K, deal... So, does that mean we're friends now?"
"If you want to be"
"I do... I have to admit, being angry at someone, you share a room with, has been pretty hard".

Lily smiled.
"Yeah, it's been a tricky few years, for both of us. But I'm glad that we've been able to move past it. Like adults" she agreed.
Sara smirked.
"Yeah. Like adults. That's us".
"You know what I mean. We are way more mature now, than we were in first year"
"I suppose we are... It's going to be nice to hang out as a room again, with you, Mary, and Alice, instead of us splitting into two separate groups"
"Yeah... And I'm sorry about the past few weeks. I was angry, and I took it out on you, which was wrong of me... I'm sorry... I was so wrapped up in myself, that I didn't even think about you. Are you O.K? I know it must have hurt, when you got hit in the face by that curse that Severus sent at James".
Sara waved her hand in dismissal.
"Na, I'm fine. Remus closed the wound almost straight away, and the mark had completely faded within a few days. I've had much worse injuries, believe me".

"It was very brave of you, to push James out of the way, and take the hit instead. Especially since you had no idea what the spell would do. You were brave... But also rather stupid. You could have been seriously injured" said Lily sternly.
Sara shrugged.
"I didn't really have time to think about it. I acted quickly, in the spur of the moment".
"You shouldn't have risked your life, for Potter"
"Are you saying you wouldn't have put yourself in danger, to save Alice, or Mary?"
"No, but that's different, as they are worth 10 of Potter, at least. He wasn't worth risking your life for"
"Hey! No talking bad about my friends, remember"
"You're right... Sorry"
"It's O.K. I know that you don't really like them. But you need to understand, how much they mean to me.
We are like a family. They are like my brothers, and if we are going to be friends, you need to accept that".

Lily paused for moment, before nodding her head.
"O.K... I guess I never really understood why people like you and Remus, who seemed so nice, would want to hang around people like Black and Potter.
You seemed like two very different types of people, that should never get along.
At first I thought that you were dependent on their popularity, to get through the school system.
But now I see that it's more than that... You are closer than I thought" admitted Lily.

"We are close. And I will defend them until the end.
I can't think of anything, that would ever break our bond... I may not agree with everything that they do, but I'd never turn my back on them.
I'll admit that there are times that I would like them to stop what they are doing, but unfortunetly, it is often harder to stand up to your friends, than it is to stand up to your enemies...
I know that they can be bullies sometimes, and I am trying my best to change that- if you knew the amount of fights me and Sirius get into about it- anyway, what I'm trying to say is, that I understand why you, and other people might not like them.
But I swear that on the inside, they are the nicest people you could ever imagine" explained Sara.

Lily sighed.
"Well, you must see something in them, that no one else does".
"I do. If you only knew how much they've helped me and Remus, you wouldn't be so quick to judge them" replied Sara.
"I would like to know how they've helped you. It might make it easier for me to understand why you like to hang around them so much"
"No, I can't tell you, not today anyway... Maybe one day I might tell you, but not tonight".
Sara looked at her watch, and yawned.
"It's late, we should get some sleep. We'll be up earlier to pack our stuff onto the Hogwarts Express tomorrow" she reminded.
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea" agreed Lily.

Sara pushed herself away from the sink, and opened the bathroom door, re-entering their bedroom.
The other girls in the room quickly ran away from the door, and jumped into their beds. Trying to look natural.
But Sara was not fooled for a second, she folded her arms, and raised her eyebrow dissapprovingly.
"Enjoyed listening to our conversation, through the door, did you?" She questioned.
"Sorry Sara. It's just- We've wanted you two to make up for so long, we got excited when we thought it was finally going to happen" admitted Dorcas.

Sara rolled her eyes, and threw her arm around Lily's shoulders, unexpectedly.
"Happy now?" Quizzed Sara.
"Very" replied Dorcas smiling.
"Good. Now, can we all get some sleep? It's our last night in these beds, before we have to return home tomorrow, and I intend on making the most of my time, in this lovely, 4-poster bed. So, excuse me, but I'm going to get comfy" said Sara removing her arm from around Lily.
She then ran towards her bed, and jumped on it, allowing herself to bounce high into the air, before laying down, and snuggling deep under the covers.