After They Disgraced Themselves

Chapter 6

Lily's eyes seemed to be burning in their sockets, making her look like a female living Bloody Baron (sans the bloody robes). James panicked. He had never seen her like this... well... okay... there was the time where Sirius and he had nearly exploded the Potions classroom, landing all the Gryffindors in detention... but at least he had his three mates to prevent Lily from lunging at him and stuffing a bat spleen down his throat. Now he was all alone...

"JAMES POTTER!!!!! I... AM... GOING TO KILL YOU!!!" Screaming like a banshee, she grabbed the nearest object available (which happened to be a particularly thick, hard-bound copy of Hogwarts, A History) and darted to towards James, poised to knock him to the state of unconsciousness (a place he had been familiar with since he learned to walk). James ducked and sought for shelter from Lily's wrath...

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

On the other side of the Gryffindor, Clara couldn't help but chuckle to see another installment of the weekly Potter-Evans brawl that was legendary throughout the House. Sure enough, as James weaved through scattered chairs to escape the Hogwarts, A History in Lily's waving arms, a small audience could be spotted by the fire, who viewed while nibbling on Peppermint Toads as though in a movie theater. Clara turned to Ann, Jaqueline, and Catherine.

"What the problem today?"

"Dunno... maybe James found out about the dare last night."

"Then why is Lily attacking James?"

"Good question..."

"Maybe James did something back to Lily..."

"Maybe..."

"Well, I known those boys for five years now and they're never that quick. They usually spend a whole day to plot something and then strike."

"How do you know?"

"I watch them get Snape all the time."

"Oh. Right."

"Isn't Lily sort of friendly with Snape?"

"Is she?"

"Yeah, I've seen her talk with him a few times."

"Kind of weird... I thought he was a Slytherin..."

"He is."

"Then why would he want to be around Lily? I thought they hated Muggleborns..."

"They do..."

"Then?"

"Let's just say that Lily is too pretty for her own good."

"True..."

"I think Potter over there feels the same way..." giggled Catherine as the chasing continued around the common room.

"Oh yes... I see him staring at Lily during Charms all the time!"

"Still, he fights with her..."

"Or, she fights with him... as I see it, James would rather not be attacked by Hogwarts, A History..."

"Yeah... can you imagine the scene she would make if he asked her out?"

"Oh I would hate to James then..."

"I'd hate to be James now!"

"True... I'm feeling sleepy... I'll be going to bed..."

"Me too..."

"Yeah, I don't think this will get any better..."

"Wait for me!"

And so, Lily's four roommates headed off to their dormitory, leaving Lily, the Hogwarts, A History, and a terrified James still running in the common room.

"James, why the hell did you not come to the library?"

"I told you, I forgot!"

"You forgot? Is that the best excuse you can give me? You are so pathetic!"

"I did! I really did!" James insisted, dodging Lily's heavy blows. Lily dropped the book onto one of the chairs.

"James, you disgust me so much! You're the one who told me to come to the library in the first place, you make me wait there and have nothing to do but wait for you for two hours, and then you tell me you forgot about it all. Well you know what? I want nothing to do with you and your stupid, immature little pranks. I'm never talking to you again!" Saying so, she stormed up to the girls' dormitory, not even giving a last glance at James.

James watched her fading back and slumped into a chair by the fire. The audience, feeling now that the show was over, dispersed into the dormitories, giving James sympathetic looks as they left. James paid no heed to them and continued staring at the dying flames of the fire and berating himself.

Why couldn't I have just remembered to come to the library? Why couldn't I just tell her about my feelings?

He stared bitterly at the glowing embers that remained now and suddenly heard footsteps from the boys' dormitories. The face of Sirius appeared.

"Are you all right, Prongs?"

"Hell no."

"That bad, huh?"

"Yeah..."

"What did she attack you with this time?"

"Hogwarts, A History... but I don't care about that..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Lily... she told me that she'd never talk to me again..."

"Ouch! That must hurt if it's coming from your fancy..."

"Yeah..."

"But, don't worry mate.. she doesn't mean it..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Girls say that all the time to make us boys feel bad... but they don't mean it for forever... they come back to you after a while..."

"Yeah... well... I was..."

"You were what?"

"I was going to... you know... ask her out..."

"You were going to ask Lily Evans out?" a shocked Sirius repeated.

"Don't laugh!"

"Galloping Gorgons! James, you're just crazy! I know you really like her... but you saw her tonight.... she hates you!"

"Oh, thanks a lot for that confidence boost, Padfoot! I knew you were my best mate..." James replied sarcastically.

"Well, okay... she doesn't hate you... but you have to admit that you get on her nerves a lot!"

"Maybe... if I quit being a prankster... she'll like me..."

"You want to quit being a prankster? James, snap out of it! There are other girls out there!"

"Yeah, but none of them are like Lily..."

"Yeah, you're right... Lily Potter does sound good..."

James reddened. "I said I wanted to ask her out on a date, not marry her!"

James was filled with a scary image of Lily and him being married and fighting over everything.

"James, maybe if you just forget about her for a while... things will get better."

"All right... I forget about her for a while... but I still feel bad. What if she doesn't talk to me? What if she really means it?"

"Well, then you don't talk to her... then she'll definitely want to talk to you again!"

"You think so?"

"James, I am the expert on love..."

"Yeah whatever..."

James followed Sirius back to their dormitory, agreeing to follow Sirius' advice. It never occurred to him that Sirius was never able to maintain a steady relationship with any of his girlfriends so far... and when he did realize that, it was way too late...