Hogwarts: A History [Harry Potter Fanfiction]

Chapter 13 - Hogsmeade: Part Deux

Lily stormed out of Madam Puddifoot’s tea shop, letting the door slam roughly back into its frame, the bell that indicated an exiting or entering party clanging wildly as it swung with such force it nearly hit the ceiling.

But she wasn’t concerned with doors or doorbells. Her only thought was about how to get as far away as possible from that bloody Caradoc Dearborn.

She muttered obscenities under her breath as she made her way back to the path that led up to Hogwarts, “Precious Caradoc,” she murmured, fists clenched beside her. “Thinks he’s so wonderful because his father…owns half the Prophet…ruddy star quidditch player…has the nerve to make me pay unless I snog him…ought to…” She kept on, so engrossed in her fit that she failed to hear or notice as James came running up to meet her. 

“All right there Evans?” he asked, slicking back his hair with the palm of his hand as he jogged to catch pace with her.

Shocked, she abruptly stopped her fast pace and turned sharply to look at him, with a surprised look about her face. It wasn’t the normal scowl that accompanied her usual looks at James and in this new light it startled her to see him through a different pretense. He was almost…handsome. But of course, she must have been hallucinating or so angered by her previous companion…or perhaps she was just beginning to lose her mind. She should probably get that checked out.

“Evans?” James stared at her tentatively. She seem as though she was going to curse him, but one could never be too sure. She didn’t respond however, she just continued to stare at him in that inquisitive manner. He dropped his head level with her, grabbing onto her shoulder and shaking them, “Lily? LILY?! What did that bloody Dearborn do to you?”

Something in Lily’s eyes seems to click back to life; sending a jolt through the emerald green and making James jump back a step and grab the back of his head sheepishly. “What Potter?” She asked exasperated. Her cheeks flushed slightly. 

“Er…” James looked away from Lily.  He couldn’t tell whether or not she was frustrated with him or if he had caught her in an embarrassing situation. Something had to have brought on that flush.

“What?” She asked again, the irritation unmistakable in her voice.

“Er…” he mumbled, feeling his confidence drop tenfold as his eyes met Lily’s. He stuttered to regain control over his brain functions, “You just seem a bit stroppy is all.”

To James’s surprise Lily let out a great laugh and dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach in an attempt to subdue her giggles. “A bit stroppy?” She laughed, “A bit?” she continued laughing, hanging on her stomach.

James chuckled wearily, his eyebrows raised in confusion and shifting back and forth. He was unsure what had happened. Usually this was the point where Lily told him that he was a no good stuck up ponce and that he would do better to try one of his lines on the Giant Squid; James was unprepared for this sort of chivalry between them, especially when there were no onlookers to prevent Lily from cursing him into next week. “Lily… are you all right?” He helped her to her feet, holding gently onto her elbow, “Did Caradoc do something to you? Did he hurt you? Lily!” He shook her shoulders again when she didn’t answer.

This sobered her up immediately, “James! Would you please stop?” she asked, shoving his hands roughly off her shoulders. “As I told you before, my business with Caradoc is my own. I appreciate your concern, I do, but you’ve really got to learn how to hold your tongue.” She left James standing there, dumbfounded, as she trekked back up the hill to Hogwarts, dusting the dirt off of her knees as she went.

James gathered his invisibility cloak into his hands throwing it roughly over his head. He had skived detention for this? No, he was going to find Dearborn and he was going to teach him a lesson.