After They Disgraced Themselves

Chapter 5

Lily walked past Madam Pince and headed towards the bookshelves, perusing for a book that would keep her busy until the four boys arrived. Picking up a battered of Hogwarts: A History, she settled in a cozy armchair in the corner and read the book (for about the zillionth time), glancing at the door every now and then to see if James and company arrived. Of course, time flies by very quickly...

"Well, hello, Lily Evans..." a slick voice spoke beside her. Lily turned to find none other than Severus Snape, carrying what was evidently a potion book. She couldn't help but inwardly groan. It wasn't that Severus was annoying or anything; sometimes, he was even helpful and assisted Lily with Potions homework and the occasional DADA spell. Yet, he only treated her normally in the absence of his Slytherin friends. In the company of Rosier, Wilkes, Lestrange, and the other arrogant Slytherins, he seemed to scorn her as much as he did for Sirius. It made her feel very uncomfortable to be around him, never knowing when he might suddenly turn and subject her to the prejudice of haughty "purebloods".

"Um... hi, Severus..." Lily mumbled.

"So what are you doing here during dinner?"

"Reading."

"Oh."

"Uh... yeah."

"So..."

"Um..." Lily felt all weird talking like this and attempted a stab at polite conversation. "So... what did you get on McGonagall's exam?"

"Ninety-six percent. You?"

"Hundred percent."

"Well, you are much better at the subject than I am..."

"Yeah... but you're really good at Potions..."

"I prefer Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Well-" Lily was prevented from making any more conversation as dinner had ended just then and many students streamed to the entrance of the library. Lily scanned the swarm of students for James, Sirius, Remus or Peter but could not make out any of them. She scowled.

"Something wrong?" Severus looked at her quizzically.

"Oh... no... nothing..."

"Then?"

"I was just waiting here for... someone... and they didn't show up."

"Oh. Well, I must go. Good bye!" Severus headed off towards the dungeons... only to run into a glowering Professor McGonagall.

"Well, hello, Snape. I've been meaning to find you. Now where were you last night while the rest of the castle was asleep?"

"I w-was asleep..." Severus mumbled, "Honest! You can ask Avery or Rosier or anybody!"

"Now we'll see about that! Off to my office with you!"

Lily watched her drag a terrified Severus to her office and scowled again. James Potter is going to pay for this....

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"Almost... done...," Sirius panted, applying the finishing touches.

"Now Padfoot, is that really necessary?" Remus asked.

"Of course it is! It adds the atheistic touch...," James replied, grinning at the statue of Salazar Slytherin, presently covered with ice cream and topped with an enlarged cherry, courtesy of Sirius.

"Atheistic?" Remus asked, a perplexed look about his face.

"I meant the other word."

"Aesthetic?" Remus suggested, looking exasperated.

"Yeah, that's it..."

"Can someone remind me why we're doing this again?" Peter asked, his mouth smeared with the excess ice cream he had been devouring.

"Do we need one?"

"Um..."

"Uh..."

"Nah..."

"We don't?"

"Just keep eating the evidence, Wormtail."

"Whatever..."

"Um... question?"

"What, Prongsey?"

"Don't call me that."

"Fine... fine... what?"

"Why does it feel like we're supposed to be doing something right now?"

"Well," Remus spoke, surveying their finished product as he cast a Freezing spell around it to keep the ice cream from melting, "I for one qualify this as doing something."

"No, I mean actually being somewhere...," James clarified.

"Well, we are somewhere..." Peter whined, glancing about the frigid hall.

"Canine-sense tingling...," Sirius muttered, wiggling his fingers, and received three head whacks. "Why do you people keep hurting my precious head?!"

"Shut up."

"Fine, then, Prongs, why don't you tell us exactly what you're talking about?"

Just then, the thundering footsteps of the students returning from dinner were heard above them.

"Let's get out of here first," suggested James, pointing to the nearest secret corridor. "Maybe I can jog my memory then..."

"Make your memory jog faster!" cried Peter as they ran through the passage to get to Gryffindor Tower.

"I can't think and run at the same time!"

"Too bad!"

Suddenly, James stopped running.

"DAMN!"

The other three stared at him.

"What did you do now?" Peter asked.

"I just remembered!"

"James, could you be any slower?" Smack! Smack! Smack! "Ow! My head!"

"Good. Now shut up and let him talk, Sirius."

"As I was saying," James started again with a glare at Sirius, "I now remember what I forgot."

"Go on."

"Ok, this morning I told Evans-"

"Lily?"

"How many Evans are there in this school?"

"I dunno... there might be a few in Ravenclaw or something..."

"Sirius, do you need another whack?"

"Okay, okay... I'll be quiet!"

"I told Evans I'd meet her after classes."

"Where?"

"In the library."

"Okay, a better question would be... Why?"

James became indefinitely crimson. "That is none of your business, Sirius."

"Oh? And why would this not be my business? After all, there was the time where you got all glazy-eyed where someone said the name 'Celestina Warbeck'... and the time when you got to spend all-night detention with Professor Vector, and the time with Remus's sister-mumphfmfhgh!" James had covered Sirius's mouth before he could continue.

"What was that about my sister?" Remus asked.

"Um... nothing..." James replied, still very scarlet. He let go of Sirius.

"Accept it James! Your love life is my business."

"I do not have to tell you anything about my life!" James retorted indignantly.

"So, why did you ask the attractive Lily Evans to privately meet you in the library?"

"I had to tell her... something..."

"See what I mean, Prongs? You're head over heels in love with Li-"Whack! "Ow! Stop breaking my skull!"

"Well, James, I must admit that I agree with Sirius...," Remus stated, grinning like the Cheshire Cat on pure sugar.

"Argh! Stop it! I was just meeting with her to talk to her! Can't I talk to a girl without you people dictating my love life?"

"No."

"That's a new joke... right James?"

"You actually have a love life?"

Remus, Sirius, and Peter, in that order.

"I give up! I really do! First you guys keep telling me that I somehow fancy Evans, and now Evans is going to kill me."

"Well, you know, mate, that's what happens when you fancy fiery redheads with spooky green eyes," spoke Sirius. "It's the truth."

The four had reached the end of the corridor pushed open the hidden door to stumble into the same hallway as the Fat Lady Portrait.

"Password?"

"Um... Help me!" Peter cried as he tried to remember.

"Um..."

"Uh..."

"Buttermilk," said Remus.

The portrait swung open to reveal a bustling Gryffindor Common room.

"Next time, don't forget it," reminded the Fat Lady.

They entered through the porthole and sat down in an unoccupied corner of the room.

"Well, you're safe for now, James."

"Not any more..."

A fuming Lily Evans stood in front of them, glaring at James. She pointed a threatening finger at James and glared at him.

"James Potter! What did you tell me this morning?"

"Uh... uh... good morning?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"I'm... I'm... I'm really really really really really really really sorry!"

"And you think that's good enough? You're so pathetic. I thought that whatever you were going to say was going to be important!"

"It w-was!"

"Important enough so that you'd show up at the library!"

"Well, James, mate, it's been nice knowing you...," Sirius grinned and ran away from the conversation.

"Um... I just remembered... I have to finish some homework...," Remus lied and ran after Sirius.

"Uh... bye, James!" Peter followed them, leaving James with a livid Lily.

"So... Lily... how are you?"