Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Once a Marauder, Always a Marauder ❯ Delirious ( Chapter 4 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: FVH721
This is not a one hitter. This is the real thing. This is how it happened. This is Lily and James Potter's first (snickers at word) "date".

Non Anime: Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Fantasy / Drama / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.24.2007 | Updated On: 07.08.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.3K | Visits: 259 | Status: Work In Progress

Lily and James. James Potter and Lily Evans
The first thing that Lily did when she passed the fat lady's portrait was run up into the girls' dorm. Star sat on her bed, waiting for a very long explanation. "So what do you have to tell me? I went and ratted to McGonagall! I thought that James was threatening you or you were under the Imperious curse."
"James and I were... somewhere. That part I can't tell you. Do you remember on Thursday night when we went up to the Astronomy tower?" Star nodded. "Well, when you left so we could have a private conversation, he asked me out and I said yes. If you don't believe me, tonight I'm going down to the common room with him. Star, I'm in love with James Potter." She adjusted the story slightly so that James had asked her out and she'd said yes. It'd be easier for her to believe this was actually her best friend, Lily Evans and not an imposter.
Star nearly gagged, "Lily, you didn't just say that. You can't be! You hate him. I won't believe it!" she said stubbornly. Lily shrugged and walked out of the room and down stairs into the common room. Her brain felt completely dead. James was waiting for her. Lily hopped the last few steps and went out the portrait hole. She couldn't believe James was doing this. He led her out of the room and went into an old classroom. Oddly enough, it wasn't any old room. It was Defense Against the Dark Arts. James shut the door behind him and tapped it with his wand. The dead bolt slid into place.
"You have something really important to tell me?" he asked. Lily shook her head. "Not yet, I'll tell you in a minute. Right now, I just want to sit here," she sat on one of the dark wooden desks and James sat next to her. He started stroking her hair, gently, as if he was afraid she would break. Lily sighed. "Don't ever go away."
James smiled, "Last week, that's the only thing you wanted me to do."
"That was before, this is now. James, Jen won't talk to me and Star doesn't believe me. She thinks you're hurting me or I'm under the Imperious curse. She's the one that told McGonagall about me going missing. I want to stay with you more than anything, but I don't want to lose my two best friends! You're just as important as Star, more really, but I won't chose one over the other if I don't have to," Lily sobbed. "There's something else too." Lily pulled an envelope out of her pocket. After she'd removed the clean parchment from it, she handed it to James and he read it quickly, cringing.

Dear Lily Evans,
You're mother and fatherhave been murdered. We're sending this to inform you that you may be in danger and it would be best if you stayed at Hogwarts over the Easter holidays or find somewhere safe to go. If possible, find somewhere to go as soon as you get out of Hogwarts and we'll ship your things there. Do not share this letter with ANYONE. Death eaters visited your home on January 2nd and your mother and father were killed. You're sister is now in the care of you aunt. The muggles do not know about Voldemort. To them, it was a common murder.
The muggles also wish for me to inform you that you will not be welcomed home during the holidays. Mrs. Petunia Evans would like to tell you that you should find a way of living as her and her new found family does not wish to have a witch in their household. I'm very sorry about this, but I'm merely quoting your sister.
My regards, Minister of Magic, Edwin Grutch
"James, they're dead! I've no where to go when I get out of Hogwarts. My aunt won't take me; she's too terrified to come over her house when I'm there. Petunia hates me. She calls me a freak and she's just afraid of magic." Lily started crying. James pulled her closer until her head rested on his shoulder.
"You could stay with me. My parents wouldn't care; Sirius stays nearly every summer. This year he's going somewhere else though; he inherited a lot of money from someone and he's getting a house. My mum would hardly know the difference," he offered hopefully.
"That'd be great," she replied sadly. James patted her shoulder with the hand that wasn't still stroking her hair. Lily had no idea how comforting it was just to sit here with him. There was no other place she wanted to be except... "Follow me!" she exclaimed suddenly. She saw James pull the cloak out of his pocket and unfold the Marauders map. He didn't smile like he usually did. He looked at her suddenly when she pulled away from him and let go of her hair, "Where are we going?" he asked her.
"You'll see," Lily said as she pulled him along the stair case. She grabbed his hand and pulled him all the way up to the top of the Astronomy tower. She just prayed that there weren't any courses on Sunday night. She'd lied and said she spent the whole of today doing essays and all the other pointless homework her teachers insisted on assigning. James had a more relaxed approach. Apparently, he lied and said he snitched a golden snitch and spent his night letting it fly and chasing it on his broom around the Quidditch field saying that it was training. Surprisingly, McGonagall believed him and said that she hoped their house won and went off to bed.
James whispered, "Here? I thought only you and Star were allowed here-" he stopped because Lily had stopped. She grabbed his hand and led him to the farthest corner of the tower where the railing was broken. She sat on one of the stone benches next to him. Her hair flew around in the wind and she closed her eyes, letting it all go away. She was happy here, with James holding her hand. It felt as if her problems were flying away with her the wind.
"I love you, Lily."
Lily couldn't stand it. James had always been the one that couldn't control himself, the one that always did what he wanted. Now Lily wanted to be reckless; she wanted to be the one that got in trouble while James was satisfied with sitting there next to her. His eyes looked hurt, "I'm sorry I said that."
"Don't be. James, I love you. I'm sorry I hated you for so long. We could've had years together in Hogwarts instead of me shouting at you everyday." James ran his hands through her chestnut hair. She smiled at him. He was so, so perfect. She ruffled his hair. "Sorry, it was too neat for my taste," she giggled. James hands hesitated on her neck. His eyes were so big; they were hazel and full of concern and... emotion. Lily only saw his eyes when they were lit up after winning a Quidditch match or so. Never had she seen him concerned or worried about anything. James kissed her on the lips. She threw her arms around him. "When everything goes wrong, I'll still have you because you'll never give up on me.”

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Lily lied awake in bed, thinking. Lily and James. James Potter and Lily Evans. They sounded so right for some reason. That wasn't all that was on her mind though. She kept imagining what could've happened if she'd never lied on the Astronomy tower and Sirius hadn't acted like an idiot. Star would be a bit calmer around high places, sure, but what about her and James? Would she ever look at him the same way she did now?
Probably not.
Star tapped her shoulder. "Tell me what's going on now or I'm never talking to you again, Lily," she shouted. Lucky there was no one in the dormitory.
"Star, I explained as simply as I could," Lily sighed, "I love him and he loves me. Do you hear me? I love James and he loves me," she said calmly.
Star was hysterical, "This is a joke! Lily, James is a prat and you hate him. Be honest; is there any reason that you're going out with him? He's a total git and he's a creep. You hate him. Repeat it with me. Say I hate James Potter more than anything in the world."
"I love James Potter more than anyone in the world," she repeated seriously. "I don't hate him anymore. He loves me, he told me he did."
"And you believed him! If you did, you're even stupider than I thought if that's possible. It's probably just a joke. I bet he doesn't even like you," Star smirked. "Sirius probably put him up to it. Lily Anna Evans, you're being played."
"No I'm not! James wouldn't do that," she said, but tears welled up in her eyes. "Shut up, Lunis, and don't call me Lily Anna. If you can't accept who I'm friends with, then you don't have to be one of my friends. Just because he acts like a moron sometimes doesn't mean he can't love anyone."
Star smirked, "Remember in my fifth year when you liked that sixth year, Eric? You were afraid to make a peep anywhere near him," Lily grimaced at the mention of Eric, a boyfriend that James had cursed into the next week when he learned that him and Lily were going out, "You didn't try and force him to go out with you by hexing people and you didn't follow him around playing tricks on him, did you? You didn't ask him out once and eventually you moved on. So you see, either he's retarded, or he doesn't really like you." Lily started to cry, realizing Star definitely had a point. "He's in for the kill. He's going to hurt you," she whispered in Lily's ear. Star could act fragile, but now she examined her nails as she said this. Her mind swirled with all that was going on. Suddenly, it was too much. Lily passed out on the bed.

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Downstairs, James was pleading with Jen. "Please, just go and see if Lily's up there? I really need to talk to her." Jen looked at him like he was crazy.
"Are you going out with her? James, she hates you. Just leave her alone; it's late. You can talk to her tomorrow," Jen said. She started to walk away, but James grabbed the sleeve of her robes.
"I'm begging you, she said she'd be back down and she's not. Lily wouldn't lie to me," he begged, but Jen just shook her head. She told him to ask Star just as she started walking down the stairs. James ran over to her, but as soon as Star saw him coming, she turned the other way. James wasn't fooled though. He put his foot on the stairs and they turned into a smooth stone slide. Star grabbed onto the railing, but lost her grip and fell back down.
"What do you want, Potter?" she spat coldly.
James tried to help her up, but she jerked away from him and got herself up, "Have you seen Lily? She went up there half an hour ago and she said she'd be back down." Star seized the opportunity,
"She did?" she widened her eyes in fake shock, "She didn't sound like she ever wanted to see you again when I talked to you. She was nearly in tears talking about how you humiliated her. I don't think she really wants to ever see you again. She fainted on the bed."
"Star, you moron, don't you know what she's going through right now? Didn't she tell you anything? She might be sick or something if she fainted. I'm getting McGonagall."
The little girl stood right in front of him, blocking his way even though she was a good two feet shorter than him. "Why would you do that? Would she believe you? Come on, even the teachers know that Lily hates you and you love her. McGonagall wouldn't waste her time," she discouraged him. "Besides, you don't have the guts to tell a teacher anything."
James said, "I've got the guts to do anything for Lily."
"Have fun slaving for a girl that hates you," Star laughed, "She's a great actress, isn't she? The poor girl's plan was to make fun of you or dump you at some odd moment, but then you made her feel so awkward and you made fun of her without every knowing it. She put up with it for as long as she could, but then she totally collapsed. She's just tired, though. It's not like she's dying." James lower lip started quivering in anger. He ran out of the portrait hole with the ever faithful Sirius following close behind. He ran straight to the head mistress's office and barged through the door.

"Professor McGonagall, it's an emergency!" Sirius pushed him out of the way.
"She'll never believe you," he hissed. "I was just talking to Star Lunis and she said that Lily fainted in the dormitory. I think she should go to the hospital wing." The black haired professor looked up alarm.
"James, is this true? Did she look sick before this?" she asked.
He shook his head, "No ma'am. She was fine earlier in the-" Sirius kicked him. It was their rule; never tell a teacher more than they needed to know. Professor McGonagall stood up and start to run (or at least walk as fast as she could) towards the common room. When she got to the portrait hole, the fat lady opened the door without waiting for the password and James and Sirius followed blindly behind her. Without hesitating, she climbed up the girls' dormitory stairs.
It seemed like forever. All that went through James's head were questions. What if she's dead? Was Star telling the truth? How did she feel about him? Did she think about him like he thought about her? The professor still wasn't out.
She was in there for about two very long minutes when she cried, "Ms. Lunis, get Madam Pomfrey!"

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Lily opened her eyes. Images of Star and James and even a few of Remus appeared in her head. She was totally numb, she couldn't feel anything. Her mind worked rather slowly, as if she was just waking up. Well, she was just waking up. It felt like she'd slept for years.
There were voices... voices by beside her, somewhere in the room. Where was she anyway?
"I think she's waking up," someone whispered.
"She is?" someone asked hopefully. The same person, probably James, grabbed her hand. "What'd you think happened to her, Remus? She just kind of passed out."
They were talking about her. Her eyes fluttered open, "Where am I? Is that you, James?" In response, James tightened his hold on her hand.
"Shhh. You're okay," he whispered. "Padfoot, Mooney, can you leave?" the other Marauders nodded and Lily heard the door click shut. James was playing with her hair again.
Lily opened her eyes and said, "How long have I been here? What happened?" she sat up. "Why am I in the hospital wing?"
"You've been here for nearly three days. You had some fever or something and passed out so Professor McGonagall brought you here. Calm down, Lily," he said to her, "if Madam Pomfrey sees you getting worked up then she'll make me leave." He lowered his voice, "Is what Star said true? Did you tell her that you never wanted to see me again?" his voice sounded more than defeated. It sounded like he'd been hurt too much to go much longer believing that.

He let go of her hand and dropped her red hair.
"No, James, I swear I never said anything like that! I told her the truth; well, as much as I could without letting off any of your secrets or Remus's. Star got really mad and said it was her or you and I chose you," she said. "Oh gosh," she cried, "I'm so sorry. What did she say?"
"Only that you never wanted to see me again and that I totally humiliated you. Did I?" he asked sincerely.
"No, never. I was just so confused that I fainted. You've never hurt me, ever. Star must've lied thinking that you'd be too mad about it to ever talk to me. I can't believe that she'd do that." Surely he couldn't just want to hurt her if he'd been next to her while she just slept for three days?
James started twirling a strand of her hair again, "Maybe it's not her fault. She might be like Sirius. When he comes back from his parents, he's mentally unstable and has a lot of problems. When he's forced to go back, he's abused and mistreated. It's the only reason they ever wanted him there in the first place. Is Star wanted at home?" he asked. "You can tell me; I won't tell anyone."
Lily thought about it. Star had seven brothers and sisters, none of them magic. Her parents forbid her to go to Hogwarts when they heard it was magic so she ran away and was living off student funds. She never went home for the holidays, but this year she had. Her aunt had taken some pity on her and when she went to visit, her parents had been there. They said that they wanted her to come home and drop the whole Hogwarts bull, but she rebelled. She ran off two days earlier than the train left with some money and got to the Hogwarts Express. She never said anything about being abused, but she might've been. Star was a proud girl; she wouldn't admit it if she didn't need to. "Not one bit; she's living off student funds and met her parents at her aunt's house over Christmas break. Can we not talk about this now?"
"Sure, Lily, whatever you want. Is there anything I can do for you?" When Lily shook her head, he smiled, "Everyone in the school knows now. It's pretty big," he gestured over to the stack of candy and cards next to her. "Everyone from first years to Slytherins came in and left you something. Well, that's pretty much the truth. Snape left you some rotten thing that said Mudblood on it. Madam Pomfrey freaked and gave him detentions every weekend for the rest of the year! Best part was that Sirius, Remus, and I were here to watch!" He got a bit more serious, "You want to hang out on Saturday? I don't mean with Sirius and Remus that was a bit of a fiasco, just you and me."
"There nothing else I'd rather do." James looked happy with that and nearly jumped when Madam Pomfrey came in.
"Oh hello James, dearest. I hope I don't see you after the next Quidditch match. You do work your team too hard. Beating Slytherin isn't everything although I would love to see them stomped on in the next match. Good luck and good day, I'm sure Lily doesn't need you bothering her while she's trying to recover," she said clicking her tongue.
"I was talking to her! Just give me ten minutes," James begged as the nurse tried to usher him out the door.
"Madam Pomfrey, it's okay, I was talking to him. He's fine," she said. Madam Pomfrey looked at her in surprise, but let James go. He sat back in the chair by the bed and whispered his thanks to Lily. She smiled. A knock sounded on the door and Sirius ran in.
"Aww darn it! We wanted to catch James and Lily in action," Sirius said and she noticed Remus standing behind him. James gave him a look, but Remus stuck his tongue out at him.

"So you want us to bust you out of here tonight? There's a secret passage way out of here not even the Marauders map knows about. We just discovered it in our fourth year." She ignored them, giving Remus a really-immature-aren't-you? look.
Something started nagging Lily. "James, Star hasn't been here to see me, has she?"
"Well, she did and she was hysterical. She started crying and saying it was all her fault and that she didn't deserve to be your friend. She personally apologized to me and I'd forgive her if I were you. She didn't mean it. I didn't tell you because you didn't want to talk about it. Right now you're coming with me to the library. You've got a ton of homework left to do, even though Remus and I finished off three essays and one of your worksheets. McGonagall personally gave me a pass to give to Madam Pomfrey so that you could go to the library," he said, "Of course, I'll be there to help you study."
Lily jumped out of the bed and nearly gasped, "Three days homework! I'll never get all that done. Oh gosh, exams aren't that far away, what am I going to do?"
James laughed, "Lils, McGonagall's letting you off the hook for all of your Transfiguration homework and Divination! She says that you need time to recover and she just expects you to try your best in classes. Grendol hasn't assigned any D.A.D.A. and Flikwick hasn't said anything, but you know that you're his favorite student; he'll never give you work. All you have is Slughorn's essays, which we pretty much finished for you, Care of Magical Creatures, and a star chart for Astronomy, and some book work for History of Snores- I mean, Magic. Loosen up a bit; do you think I'm actually going to the library to study?"
Lily knew exactly why he was going, but didn't say so because at that very moment Professor McGonagall walked in. "Hello Mr. Potter, Ms. Evans, Black, Remus. What are you all doing in here? Ms. Evans, are you okay? You gave us quite a scare on Sunday night."
"I'm fine, Professor. James, Sirius, and Lupin are helping me with homework and all the things I missed. I've got ever so much homework," she said, burrowing herself in one of the textbooks James was holding, trying to look exhausted. His mouth dropped open. Lily Evans, faking to get out of homework?
She must've bought it because she said, "Oh, don't worry about too much of it. Flikwick, Biones (the divination teacher), and I are letting you off for this. You don't need to worry about a thing in our classes, just Professor Slughorn's," she said, relishing the chance to make fun of the Head of Slytherin. "Oh, I forgot. Sirius and James, you're each awarded fifty points for Gryffindor for use of good judgment in a crisis. All of you receive twenty points for helping a student in need. Lily," she said with a kind look over at the sick girl, "Twenty just because you were sick and you need to work extra hard to catch up in classes and if there's anything you need, don't be afraid to ask. Do you understand?" putting and extra edge in her voice to show that there was something else. Lily knew it was about her parents. "Boys, I'd like to talk to her alone."
"McGonagall, if you wouldn't mind, could James stay? I've already told him about, you know," she knew what her teacher was hinting at. She wanted to say something about her parents. McGonagall gave her a confused look, but nodded as Sirius and Remus left. James wore a look of sheer honor and shock. The professor sat on the edge of the bed and started to talk to Lily and rather ignored James.
"Well, I guess it isn't really a secret, what I'm telling you, but Lily, in light of recent events, you've been invited to spend the summer at Hogwarts. I know that Ms. Lunis and you haven't really been friends lately, but if there's anyway you could find some place to stay after you get out of Hogwarts, it'd be great. We have funds and someone could help you find an apartment in Diagon Alley. If there's absolutely anything Dumbledore or I could do for you, then just ask. But I have to ask you, why does this concern Mr. Potter?"
Lily looked at her transfiguration teacher. Was it just her, or was she considerably softer, nicer? Her look at Lily was one a mother might give to a daughter, although with these circumstances, it hardly seemed likely. Lily smiled and said, "I've already found somewhere to go for at least a few weeks."
Her eyes opened in interest. "Who," she asked, "would that be?"
James widened his eyes too. "She's going to come home with me at the end of school," he said, rubbing the toe of one of his shoes into the stone floor. "That's the only reason it concerns me. Lily and I are-"
"Mr. Potter, you're excused. Lily, I'd like to speak to you in private." She held open the door to let James through and he gave Lily one last look and shivered. What would happen this summer? His parents were hardly ever home, his house was huge, and there were no muggles for miles. They could basically do whatever they wanted.
Seemingly, that was what worried James most. He waved to Lily before McGonagall slammed the door on him.
"You and James? Lily, are you sure?" McGonagall asked her. "If you were to break up or get in a fight, then... well you wouldn't be welcome at his house. If you would at least try and have a back up place to go or something. You and James Potter, I don't believe it." She turned sharply, "My two favorite students, oddly enough. Three (it was really five) years of asking you out and then you say yes... you aren't just fooling around with him, Lily, are you? He's written things in the margins of his assignments about you. The poor boy is in love. Honest, do you actually like him or just acting or has he put you under the Imperious curse?" she smiled. Lily leaned back in bed.
"Professor, I do love him, so much so that Star didn't want to be my friend because of it. James and I finally hooked up as Slughorn said."
McGonagall's hand shot to her mouth. "You heard me and him talking after dinner, didn't you?" When Lily nodded, she said, "Well, I'll let you get back to bed. Would you like me to let the others in?" Lily nodded again and McGonagall opened the door. James was standing right where McGonagall had slammed the door on him. Lily smiled when she saw that James was still there, and it was the kind of smile that lit up someone's whole face.