"So, are you and Jenna, like, dating?" Marlene demands of me at breakfast.
I stop chewing my toast and slowly look up. Marlene's brown eyes are unwavering, and her jaw is locked. Her eyes shine in away that is scary and angry at the same time. I avert my eyes from hers and shrug my shoulders not knowing what else to do. "Sort of, why?" I shift uncomfortably in my seat. We hadn't really discussed it. Does Jenna think we're together? Is she telling people we're together?
"Just curious," Marlene shrugs casually, her eyes flitting to Lily for a split second. "The girl won't shut up about you." I force my eyes to stay forward, instead of looking at Lily.
"What can I say? I'm a pleasurer of women," I smirk. I don't think anyone catches the bitterness in my voice, except maybe Sirius who gives me an odd look.
Remus dumps a heavy amount of creamer into his coffee and stirs it, causing loud clinking noises to echo. He looks up a moment later and throws me an empathetic look. Peter is throwing hurried glances at Marlene and Lily. When did things get so complicated? Seriously, do all girls just live to be confusing?
"You know, Evans," Sirius drawls. "Glaring at a book, won't make you learn it faster." I sneak a glance at her to see that she is staring intently at the pages of some book that can't be nearly as interesting as she is making it seem.
"How would you know, Black? You never read," she replies without lifting her gaze from the pages. I bite back a grin on that one.
"Are you trying to scare it with your death gaze?" Sirius laughs, pushing his long hair from his face.
"Maybe," she shrugs. I take a sip of my coffee, hiding my smile. God, she's perfect. Warmth radiates through my body both from the hot beverage and from the voice of the feisty red head seated next to me.
"James," coos a voice from behind me, causing my cheeks to flush. "Why don't you come sit with me?" I look over my shoulder to see Jenna standing with a wicked grin and lust in her eyes.
"I'm good here, thanks," I reply politely.
She huffs, rolling her eyes. In one swift motion, she throws her leg over the bench and squishes herself in between myself and Lily. I bite back my irritation at her pushing Lily away. I don't have time to react because she throws an arm around my waist and cuddles closely to my chest. My muscles lock in place. What the hell is she doing? We have never done this, especially not in public.
Lily hurriedly gathers her things and stands to leave. She mutters something that I don't quite catch, but her lips are pursed and her nose is crinkled as if she smells something unpleasant.
"Evans, you don't have to leave," I say quickly, not thinking before speaking. I bite my tongue as soon as the words leave my lips. Dammit, James. Why do you always act like an eager idiot around her?
"She can leave," Jenna spits a look at Lily. Woah, hold on. Lily glares down at her, nostrils flaring and hands balling into fist. I wait for the yelling to start. Lily can get mean when she's angry. Nobody knows that better than me.
"Lily!" says Marlene urgently, snapping everyone out of their trance. "Let's go to the library. You said you'd help me with my charms essay, remember? I still have five inches left."
Lily turns sharply on her heal and stalks out of the great hall, tailed closely by Marlene. "What was that about?" Remus ponders, downing the remainder of his coffee.
"Be nice to Lily," I say sharply, looking down at Jenna.
She bats her eyelashes innocently. "I didn't know I did anything?"
Yeah, right. I shrug out of her grasp. "You guys ready to go?" I ask, eager to get away from Jenna. She's been suffocating me lately; I just want time with my friends.
I gather my things to leave, when Jenna pulls my face to hers, pressing her lips to mine. I freeze, not even bothering to kiss her back. She keeps doing things like this. Kissing me unexpectedly or cuddling against me when people are looking, like she wants people to know we're together instead of showing actual affection for me. I hear someone clear their throat. I pull away, my face flushing.
"See you later," she smirks. I quickly stand and walk swiftly from the Great Hall, aware of a few pair of eyes on my back.
"I'm going to need you to dial back on the PDA, Prongs," Sirius sneers, as we make our way down the corridors.
"Shut it," I spit, irritated at Jenna, the whole Lily situation, and just life in general at the moment.
"She obviously doesn't like Lily," Remus chimes in, a knowing tone in his voice. "Can't imagine why."
"Moony, I can't handle your sarcasm right now, you little shite," I throw at him. A smirk plays on his lips. I swear everyone thinks Moony is so sweet and innocent.
"Can we get this Jenna thing over with already? She annoys the shite out of me," Sirius complains, tugging on his collar. Way to be subtle, Padfoot.
I open my mouth to give a smart remark, but a shrill scream rips through the hall. We all stop walking, eyes wide and goose bumps forming. My blood turns to ice, as my stomach falls through the floor. Where's Lily?
I take off in an instant. My legs flying as I tear through the corridor. I can hear shouts at the end of the corridor. Flashes of multi-colored light flood through the halls. I force my legs to go faster feeling the blood pumping forcefully through my veins.
"Filthy half-blood!" I arrive just in time to see four Slytherins fighting a single-handed Marlene. I watch as a stream of red light connects with her head. She goes down, colliding with the floor, eyes closed and body limp. Marlene.
My stomach lurches at the sight of the girl next to her. Lily lies on the ground in a puddle of blood. Scarlet stains cover her robes in a sick criss cross pattern. Her face is pale, bloodless, lifeless almost. Her hair splays out behind her as if she is underwater. The two reds of her hair and blood mix, making an unnatural combination. Lily.
A white hot fury shoots through my body, and a red haze forms over my eyes. I reach for my wand, my fingers itching to curse these dicks into fucking oblivion. I look up to see Mulciber, Avery, Macnair, and Snape sneering at me. I glare at the latter. How could he do this to her? After everything they've been through.
"What the fuck!" Sirius shouts from behind me, as their footsteps come to a halt.
"Stupefy!" Remus shouts. A stream of red shoots past me and connects with Avery.
"Blood traitors! Everywhere! Get them!" Macnair cries. All hell breaks loose. Sirius, Remus, and Peter shout spells. I aim a spell at Snape, furious with what he has done.
Not happy with the results of the spells being cast, I wonder aimlessly how they would feel about the cruciatous curse. My lips curl over my teeth. These are the bastards that tortured Lily. My fingers tap absently against my wand, aching to hurt them. To torture them. To give them a taste of their own fucking medicine.
A moan escapes Lily's lips, snapping me out of my vengeful haze. I dive to the ground beside her, feeling my pants soak through with blood, sticking to my leg. She is more important than those sorry excuses for humans. I prop her up on my lap, placing a hand against her face. My hand spreads more blood over her face, as the scene is becoming more morbid by the minute.
"Lily!" I shout. Her eyes flutter open, but they stare past me as if she can't really see anything at all. Her usually bright green eyes are hazed over, as she searches for the source of the yelling. "Lily! Look at me, Evans! Open your eyes! Lily!" Her eyelids flutter, before they close again.
"Lily! Open you eyes, Lily Evans!" I press my ear to her chest, panicking at the thought of her dying. There's so much blood. Her heart beats slower than what sounds normal, and her breathing has become shallow.
"Lily Marie Evans if you die I will kill you!" I roar. Tears prick my eyes, and I can't tell if they are from fear or frustration. Every inch of her body seems to be covered in blood. Her uniform is no longer white where it should be but red. The dark, red hair that usually cascades easily down her back has become matted and black.
"WHAT THE DEVIL IS GOING ON?" McGonagall barks. She takes in the scene before her. Lily bleeding profusely in my lap; Marlene unconscious in a puddle of Lily's blood; Pete with a odious gash on his forehead; Remus with his wand pointed at Snape's chest; Sirius on top of a bleeding Macnair with broken skin on his knuckles; An unconscious Avery and Mulciber laying in the corner, forgotten. What a sight.
"Mr. Potter, get Miss Evans and Miss McKinnon to the infirmary this instant," she orders, voice calm and sharp. I nod and carefully place Lily back on the floor. "Mr. Lupin, what happened?"
I wave my wand and levitate the injured girls from the blood stained floor. "Well, you see, Professor," Remus starts in his innocent-talking-to-teachers-voice. Sometimes, I really love Moony.
I don't know what Remus tells her because I race the girls to the hospital wing. I open the door to see Madame Pomfrey sitting at a desk in the back. She looks up at my loud entrance and jumps hurriedly to her feet. "Merlin!" She exclaims. "What happened?"
"Some Slytherins attacked them," I say with an edge to my voice. "Marlene took a stunning spell to the head, and I don't know what they used on Lily." I look down at two of the strongest people I know, and my heart aches. "Please help them." My voice takes on a childlike tone, and I can't bring myself to care.
"Go wait outside while I work," she says shooing me with her hands.
"But-" I begin to protest.
"Out," she orders sternly, yanking the curtains around their beds close.
My shoulders slump, and I reluctantly walk outside, trying not to think profane thoughts at Madam Pomfrey. I do have a soft spot for the women after everything she's done for Remus. I brace my back against the stone wall and slide to the floor. All of the different possibilities of what could happen to Lily and Marlene swim inside my head, my imagination getting the better of me. I groan as I lower my head into my hands.
I hear the sound of pounding footsteps echoing off the walls. "Prongs!"
I look up to see my three best friends running at me, all with anxious looks on their faces. They stop once they arrive in front of me, covered in sweat and panting.
"Are...they...okay?" Remus pants, clutching his side.
"I don't know," I say running my fingers through my hair. "Poppy kicked me out."
Sirius pales and takes a seat next to me. He tugs at his tie, loosening it, as if he needs air. Pete lowers himself on my other side and nervously taps his fingers against his leg. Remus paces in front of us with big bountiful strides.
"How come you get to be the tallest?" Sirius whines. I duck my head as I unpack my things from my trunk, still full from my fifth welcome back feast.
"Who cares, Sirius?" Remus asks rolling his eyes, but I see the smirk playing on his lips. He places his hands in the pocket of his jeans, unconsciously slouching to seem shorter.
"Let Remus be tall, Sirius" I say rolling my eyes and concealing a smirk. "He's a werewolf, let him have the tall thing."
"Easy for you to say!" Sirius shrieks, motioning with his hands. "Remus is six foot-four! You're six foot-two! I'm stuck at six feet!" He yanks his fingers through his hair, throwing Remus and I disgusted looks.
A snort escapes me before I can stop it. I look up to see an amused glint shining in Remus' eyes. We avert our eyes from each other before we start laughing. Pete rolls his eyes and says, "You're five foot-eleven."
"Look who's talking Mr. I'm-five-foot-six-and-three-quarters!" That wipes the smile from Peter's face.
"Moony!" Sirius yells, snapping me out of my memories. "Please, stop pacing. You're making me anxious."
"I pace when I'm nervous," Remus retorts without missing a step, yanking his hand through his wild hair. I mean, honestly, everyone gives me shite for my messy hair, but Remus' hair is just as unkempt.
"Trust me, I know," Sirius grumbles, crossing his arms. We always joke that Remus has left a rut in our floor from his obsessive pacing over the years.
"They're going to be okay, right?" Peter whispers as if he is afraid to be too loud.
I suck in a sharp breath, not wanting to answer. Sirius' jaw clenches, and his eyes haze over. Remus finally stops pacing, turning to look at Peter. "They're going to be fine," he says sharply, returning to his restless steps.
The sound of clicking heels echoing through the halls, causes all of us to lift our gazes to the end go the corridor. Professor McGonagall walks hurriedly down the hall, her face set and white. If I didn't know that I was innocent, I would have been scared shiteless.
"Where are they?" She asks sharply when she reaches us.
"Inside," I answer in a hoarse voice. "Pop-Madam Pomfrey-kicked us out."
She nods curtly but for the most part ignores my words and strides through the doors. I jump to my feet to follow her. The sheets are still around the beds, hiding Marlene and Lily from our view. I fight the urge to rip the curtain back to see Lily.
I don't have to fight the urge long because McGonagall reaches out a hand a throws the curtain back. Lily lays still pale and stained with red, but she is no longer bleeding. My shoulders sag in relief. Madam Pomfrey works over Marlene. The feisty brunette lies perfectly still, eyes closed and face blank.
"How bad is it, Poppy?" McGonagall asks.
"I got Miss Evans' bleeding under control," she says waving a hand in Lily's directions. "I think Miss McKinnon will be fine, but I would like for her to go to St. Mungo's just to be safe."
"I'll take her," McGonagall volunteers, pulling out her wand.
"Professor?" Sirius says. "What will happen to the four...Slytherins?" I know he fought himself to say a much nastier insult. His eyes shine as he stares at Marlene and Lily, and a muscle is jumping in his jaw.
She glances through her glasses at Sirius with a gleam in her eye similar to Sirius'. "A month's detention, no Quidditch, no Hogsmeade, and if they put another toe out of line, they'll be sent straight home."
"That's it?" Sirius demands furiously, voice echoing off the walls.
"Padfoot," Remus warns.
"Mr. Black it was a horrible act to do what those boys did. Two people were injured, but nobody was killed. People are injured all the time in the magical world, especially due to recent events. And not a single teacher was present at the time, so we are accepting your story, but we can't technically prove it. I suggest you don't test Professor Dumbledore's punishments." She raises her chin and flicks her wand. Marlene rises from her bed, and she and McGonagall leave the room without another word.
"You may stay with Miss Evans," says Madam Pomfrey. "Behave you four. I need to go see Horace about a healing potion." She strides through the doors, leaving the four of us alone with Lily.
"I'm going to class," Remus is the first to speak. "Lily will kill me if she wakes up and I didn't take notes for our ancient rune class." His tone is light, but I see the shaking in his hands and the hardness in his eyes.
He turns on his heel and leaves. "Padfoot, why don't you go to Honeyduke's and get a few chocolate frogs and licorice wands?" I suggest. "Lily likes those."
He nods staring at Lily. "Come on, Wormy," he says absently, slinging his arm around Pete's shoulders. They both throw a long look at Lily before leaving.
I look at Lily and take a deep breath. I yearn to touch her in some way to make sure she isn't slipping away from me. I hold my breath, staying completely silent, making sure she is breathing regularly. Her normal breathing patterns cause me to sigh in relief. I long to crawl onto the bed with her and hold her. If they had done any permanent damage to her, I would be in Azkaban. Just looking at her blood stained uniform causes my teeth to snap together.
Lily stirs in her sleep. She doesn't wake up, but her hand fumbles around on the sheets as if she is searching for something. I tentatively place my hand in hers; she tightens her grip and goes still again.
I smile to myself and pretend that she wants me the way I want her. I pretend that she has feelings for me. I pretend that somebody like me could end up with someone as soul shattering, heartbreakingly, makes you want to grin like an idiot, perfect girl like her.
I hold my breath and lean in. I press my lips to her forehead. I know I shouldn't because if she was awake, she'd be swatting me away right now. But she's going to be okay. And I need her to be okay. Because if I lost her, I don't know what I would do.
A/N*
SURPRISE! I updated so fast y'all, but I loved doing this chapter, even if it was a little sad and gruesome. I hope you like it as much as I do!
Y'all are the bomb btw. I love all of you. Stay patient with me because not all of my updates will be this quick...as you all know. Love you guys!
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p.s. sorry this is such a long chapter