Disclaimer : I own nothing but my crazy imagination.
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Chapter 10
"I have no idea why I'm still taking this subject." Lily said as she climbed up the narrow ladder to the Divination class.
"I don't know why you're taking the subject" Marlene said, "But I'm taking it because I can fool that woman and get marks."
"Seriously though" Mary said, "She'll believe me even if I just spouted random nonsense staring into the tea cup."
Lily sat down on a table with Mary and Marlene joined Amelia at the table to their right. James and Sirius were sitting on the table to Lily's left.
"Good morning, children." Professor Cassandra (who for some weird reason liked to be called by her first name) said.
"I hope you all had some good time with your families."
The professor smiled and walked around the class room, assigning different tasks to the students. Lily and Mary were supposed to do Crystal gazing.
Lily turned to her left and saw the professor standing near James's table where Sirius was trying to read James's palm.
"Is this the life line, professor?" Sirius asked, pointing at James's hand. Lily knew Sirius was just pretending and waiting for the professor to move to another table so that he can start planning his next prank.
"No, dear" Professor Cassandra said, "It's this one here." She stared at James's hand for a while. "And it's rather short."
She turned her misty silver eyes to James's face. "Something that you've wanted for a while is coming closer to you. But be careful, dear. It will change your life."
Sirius rolled his eyes. The professor walked over to Lily's table.
"Did you see anything, Miss Evans?" she asked pointing at the crystal ball.
Lily didn't reply.
"Let me see." she said, taking the seat next to Lily.
"There's a fork in the path. You'll have to make a very important decision in the future. A decision that will affect the lives of many people."
Lily shuddered slightly at the woman's mysterious tone. She looked at the crystal ball which was once again filled with white smoke.
Decisions.
If Lily hated one thing more than mornings it was making difficult decisions. And from what the professor had said, it was some very important decision that could affect many people.
But do you really believe in this?
For once, that voice inside Lily's head was saying something sensible. She didn't believe in Divination. Why was she worried then? She was taking the subject only to keep her career options open, not to listen to the old professor's baseless predictions.
A sharp intake of breath from the next desk snapped Lily out of her thoughts.
"I'm so sorry, dear." the professor said, patting Marlene's shoulder.
"What's wrong, professor?" Alice asked. Marlene looked completely uninterested in whatever the professor was talking about.
"It's just.... " the professor pointed at the crystal orb in front of Marlene. "The Grim".
There was a collective gasp from most of the people in the classroom.
"What's that?" Mary asked.
"It's a death omen." Elisa said.
"We understood that much." Alice said, "But what exactly is this?"
She peered into the glass ball to see what the professor had seen.
"It's a dog." Amelia said, "A big, black one."
To Lily's left, Sirius made a choking noise. Everyone in the class turned to look at him. James's shoulders were shaking with silent laughter.
"Inside joke." Remus said when Lily raised an eyebrow at him.
James was now openly laughing and Peter had joined him. Remus seemed to be having a hard time maintaining a straight face. Sirius was smiling slightly now, after the initial shock of whatever it was had worn off. Professor Cassandra gave them a disapproving look before flouncing off to the other side of the classroom.
"What are you losers laughing about?" Marlene asked James.
James looked at Sirius briefly before turning back to Marlene. "Your imminent death. The relief that we'll be free of this torture soon."
Marlene scoffed. "This is all bullshit. That woman's just making stuff up for drama."
Mary and Daisy were looking at Marlene as if she had been diagnosed with some fatal disease.
"You're all crazy." Marlene said before walking out of the class as the bell rang.
~~~~~
"How do you know that?" Lily asked Pandora.
Their potion had started boiling fifteen minutes before the expected time, after Pandora had added some mysterious ingredient.
"My dad's an experimental potioneer. He works with Fleamont Potter." Pandora said.
"Fleamont Potter? James Potter's dad?" Lily asked.
Pandora nodded.
"I thought he's an auror. I read in the Prophet." Lily said.
"Both. Auror and potioneer." Pandora said.
"Has anyone finished their potion?" Slughorn asked from next to James's desk.
Lily, Pandora and Snape raised their hands.
"Mr. Snape, can you please help Mr. Potter here?" he asked.
Snape looked horrified. Next to Snape, Sirius covered his mouth with his hand to muffle his laughter.
"Professor, I'm helping Avery." Snape said. Lily instantly knew it was a lie.
"Alright then." Slughorn looked around the class. "Miss Evans?"
"I'll help, Professor." Lily said.
She looked over at James's cauldron. The potion had turned a dark purple colour instead of silver. James gave her an apologetic shrug. Lily shook her head and walked to his table.
~~~~~
"But you have to choose one." James said.
"I can't. I like both." Lily said, stirring the contents of the cauldron.
"And why is that?"
Lily kept the laddle aside and turned to look at James. "Autumn because everything looks red and gold and beautiful. Winter because Christmas."
"Why not spring? Most girls like spring." James said.
"Because I'm not like most - ouch."
Lily flinched as the boiling potion splashed on her hand just as she added the last ingredient.
"Oh no! What happened?" James asked as he took her hand in his.
His hands were rough but warm. Lily looked up at him. His hair was falling onto his face, hiding his eyes and his eyebrows were furrowed. He was looking down at the wound on her wrist in concern. Lily gently pulled her hand back.
"Dittany." she said.
"What?" he asked.
"There's Essence of Dittany in that shelf there. Can you get it?" Lily asked.
"Yeah, sure."
James returned a moment later with the Dittany. Lily held out her hand for the vial.
"Your right hand is hurt, Evans." he pointed out. "I'll do it."
He carefully took Lily's hand and dripped a few drops of the dittany on the wound. Lily winced at the stinging sensation as the liquid came in contact with her skin. The slightly blistered skin on her wrist changed back to normal almost immediately.
"Thank you." Lily said as James kept the vial in the shelf and came back.
"I should be the one saying that." he said, pointing at the potion which was now the perfect silver colour.
"You really are bad at Potions." Lily noted, "Strange, considering the fact that your dad is a potioneer."
James grinned. "I take after mum. She's the Transfiguration expert."
"Poor Marlene. She does all the work in Potions, right?" she asked.
James nodded. "Where is she by the way?"
"She's not well. Flu." Lily said.
"Professor Cassandra's prediction is coming true?" he asked in mock horror.
Lily laughed. "You believe in that?"
"Nah." James said, "I'm taking it because it's easy. The subject is complete rubbish."
"Yeah." she agreed, surprised that she had just agreed to something he had said.
"See beyond mere facts, children. Open your inner eyes. The future is waiting to be read." James said in a surprisingly good imitation of Professor Cassandra's voice.
Lily had to bite down on her lip to stop laughing. Just as James was about to continue on his Divination drama, Slughorn noticed the potion in front of them.
"Very good." Slughorn said, "I hope you've understood how to do it, Mr. Potter."
"Yes, professor." James replied.
"I'll see you for the Slug club party next week. I have a special guest who would like to know more about your father's new research."
James grimaced and Lily almost laughed at the helpless look on his face.
"You too, Miss Evans."
Lily's smile dropped and she resisted the urge to slap her hand to her face.
"Sure, professor." she said.
"Wonderful. Absolutely spiffing." Lily muttered as Slughorn walked away to the other tables to grade their potions.
"I'm gonna skip it." James said.
"What will you tell him?" Lily asked.
"Quidditch." he said and a dreamy look passed over his face.
Lily rolled her eyes. "When is the first match?"
"Next month." he said, "Against Hufflepuff. But we're starting practice this week."
"And try outs?" she asked.
"Tomorrow. Why? Are you planning on joining the team?" he asked.
Lily shook her head. "Definitely not. Just because I like Quidditch doesn't mean I'll play. I still think it's dangerous."
"You like Quidditch?" James asked, completely ignoring Lily's comment about it being dangerous.
"Yes, Potter." she said, "I go to all the matches."
"No, you don't." he said, "You didn't come to the match against Ravenclaw last year and the one against Slytherin in fourth year."
"I might have been sick or busy. I never miss any of Gryffindor's games if possible." she said, "Wait, how did you know I didn't come?"
James's eyes widened slightly and he looked around pretending as if he didn't hear what Lily asked.
"Potter?" she called.
He winced slightly. "We lost those matches."
"How does me being not there affect the game?" Lily asked, not understanding how her presence would change a game when she wasn't even playing.
"Forget everything I said. We should get to the next class. See you later." James said before collecting his belongings and practically running out of the class, leaving a very confused Lily.
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A/N : Soooo much foreshadowing.
The next update might be a little late because my exams are starting in two days.
Sorry about the short chapter.
~Lianna