The library was my refuge those days. I knew that James was in Care of Magical Creatures so I decided I would just spend the time reading, or even trying to talk to Severus; though we hadn't really spoken since I started dating James. I really didn’t know what his problem was, it's not like I made a deal with the devil or anything like that. Sev knew how much I liked James and he hadn’t ever said anything to show he didn’t like it. The only thing he'd done was stop talking to me. Usually that only happened when James was around but lately it had been all the time. I really thought I should talk to him, so I went into the library.
I knew it! As I walked in to the library I saw him sitting there, is leaning over his stupid potions book that he was scribbling in all the time. I decided to go over and sit down and demand to know what was going on! I walked over to his table where he sat alone, and slumped down into the chair across from him. He didn't raise an eyebrow, he just kept writing the small words of 'For Enemies…'
"Um...Sev...Can I talk to you for a sec?"
He just looked at me and nodded his head slightly. I knew something was seriously wrong.
"What's wrong? We haven't talked in forever and when I see you in the corridors and come towards you, you run away!" I looked at him straight in the face.
"Nothing is wrong, and you are always busy with James..."
I knew it! He was jealous or annoyed because I was hanging out with James and his friends.
"Well, I'm sorry, I didn't..." I stopped mid-sentence because Sev was looking straight over my shoulder to the doorway. I turned around and saw James leaning there ruffling his hand through fringe like he always does, staring at where Sev and I were sitting.
"Sorry.” I muttered. I got up and walked slowly towards the doorway and straight past James, who immediately followed grabbing my hand along the way.
"What are doing talking to him? I hope you haven't forgotten the other night when you overheard him talking! Lily, have you forgiven him already?!" James stopped in the middle of the corridor and swung me around so I facing him. He took one step towards me and looked down so our foreheads where touching.
"He's my best friend..." I said to James in a small voice without looking into his eyes. I knew how much I hurt him when I talked about Sev being my best friend but it was true, he was.
"Lily, you heard him call you a mudblood again the other day! And don't think for a minute I don’t know what you’re doing sulking around the library book shelves. You are hoping that Severus will get off his high horse and get over the fact that we are dating and be best friends with you again! He's not that guy, Lil. He'll hurt you." James ran his hands through my hair and then grabbed both my hands in his.
"I just miss him. I mean, you have Sirius, Remus and Peter. I just want my best friend back..."
James sighed and then pulled me back into a slow walk, one of his arms draped around my shoulders. I looked up at him and have him a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank You, for being the most understanding amazing boyfriend ever." James kissed the top of my head before giving the fat lady portrait the password (“Protificus Exino”) and climbing inside after me.
I didn’t have time to notice anything about the room as Alice knocked into giving me a tight hug as soon as I entered the common room.
“Lily, he asked!” she screamed into my ear, I momentarily had a mental blank as I watched James walk across the room to where Sirius was sitting. James bent down and whispered something into Sirius’ ear then they gave each other a very meaningful look, like they were planning something. I realised after about ten seconds that Alice had released me and was now talking very fast telling me a long story. Frank Longbottom must have finally asked her out.
“…and then he said those magical words! Lily? Lily are you listening to me, HELLO!!!” She walked away and sat next to Frank leaving me standing in the middle of the common room looking like a weirdo, so I went and sat next to James who pulled me into a one arm hug. I looked over his shoulder at Alice who was staring at me. She gave me a cold look and turned away. I knew I would have to apologise later.
Just as my thoughts had wandered off to my family and my sister, my owl flew in and dropped a letter from Petunia on my lap. The writing was messy and rushed, and I knew there was no emotion apart from spite behind the three words scribbled on the page. ‘I’m getting married’. I wasn’t surprised, just annoyed that she’d told me like that. We were still sisters. She just couldn’t stand that I was different, and that was why she marrying the most boring and tedious man in the history of the world-Vernon Dursley. I showed James the note, and he scrunched it up in his hand.
“How dare she not even bother to write a proper letter?”, he muttered, “What a stupid girl.”
“Hey that’s my sister you’re talking about!” I said, but inside I agreed with him, now I was dreading the question I had to ask.
“James, it won’t be for a while but would you come to the wedding? It would mean so much to me if you did and I want you to meet my parents…”
James scoffed and didn’t answer. I knew that it would take time to convince him to come.
“Come on, we will be late for lessons , I have charms and you have transfiguration so I will see you at dinner?” I said. I looked up to James and he was having another silent conversation with Sirius.
“Huh? Oh Yeah, come on Sirius, McGonagall will turn us into kibble if we’re late. Bye Lil, see you at dinner!” He got up to follow Sirius and Remus who had just come through the portrait to meet them. “I will always love you Lily Evans,” he whispered into my ear as I closed my eyes.
I took my time walking down to charms thinking about the look James had given Sirius and the letter from Petunia. I had a weird feeling in my stomach that the wedding was going to be the last time I saw her. It was creepy, and I distracted myself by watching the portraits on the walls. I got preoccupied watching a beautiful princess dancing around her room that I had to run the rest of the way to class. Even then I was still late.
“Ah, Miss Evans. I’m glad you decided that you will join us today. You have no reason to slack off even if only have few weeks of school left. Take your seat. Now that Miss Evans has decided to join us we can start the lesson…”
I didn’t hear the rest of Professor Flitwick’s speech as I took my seat. I sat at the back of the class, where I usually sat with Severus… but he had decided not to show up today.
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