Proving Me Wrong

PROVING ME WRONG

LAST CHAPTER:-

And with a jolt, he realised something. Running a hand distractedly through his already messy black hair, he got off the floor and walked out into the empty corridor.

"She called me James," he murmured, before fixing his glasses and sprinting down the corridor after her.

CHAPTER 6

"Prove Me Wrong"

James felt like he had been running for days, his legs were aching and his head spinning. Something inside of him needed to know what happened to Evans. It definitely had to have been serious, for her to have gotten those awful slashes across her back, and for her to call him by his first name.

Finally, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a streak of flame red hair. He whipped around in time to see a door bang shut and hear the click of a lock. He quickened his pace and ran towards it, coming to a halt just before he slammed into worn oak. Panting, James began pounding on the door, "Evans? Evans! Come on, open up!" His fists were still pounding the air when the door swung open, his shouts stopped abruptly.

He pulled his wand out of his sock and muttered, "Lumos." James crept cautiously into the room, which would have been pitch black had it not been for the moonlight filtering through the windows. Shiny metal glinted at him from every direction, twinkling sinisterly from behind their glass cabinets. I'm in the trophy room, James realised. He was just wondering where Evans had gone, when, as if in answer to his silent question, the door snapped shut behind him. He dropped his wand in surprise, a very un-Potter-like move, he was glad Sirius wasn't here. But before he could react, he found himself face to face with the object of his pursuit, Lily-

"Evans," said James, his tone sounding too concerned for his liking. He looked at her wand pointing directly at his heart, then at her face, which was contorted in a mixture of pain and fury.

"Why did you follow me, Potter?" she asked in a low dangerous voice.

Though he would never admit it, James was slightly hurt that he had been demoted to 'Potter' again, what happened to James? What went on between the bathroom and here? He wondered.

Swiftly regaining his usual swagger he replied, "Because I want to know what happened to you."

"Why?" she demanded, her eyes flashing.

"Because, as Head Boy, it's my duty to uphold school rules and if a student's been attacked, I am obliged to report it to Dumbledore," he drawled, trying to convince her...and himself.

"Well," Lily hissed, cocking her head to one side and mocking him. "As Head Girl, I am fully aware of what you are, and are not obliged to do. But I can assure you that no one has been attacked, so there will be no need to inform Dumbledore, will there?"

James raised his eyebrows in disbelief and gestured at the blood stain on the back of her shirt, "But, your ba-"

"My back is fine," she cut in. Her eyes were boring into his, daring him to suggest otherwise.

Despite the fact that she was seeing three Potters rather than one, Lily grinned inwardly, she was in control of the situation. That's how she liked it best.

But before she could think of what to do next, Lily was subjected to another dose of blinding pain. It was worse than before, much worse. Her spine was burning and her skin crawling.

Her limbs crumpled and she fell to the ground with a thud. She was finding it difficult to breathe; she couldn't get enough oxygen into her lungs. Lily forgot who was in the room with her, and curled up into a ball with fresh tears making their way down her cheeks.

***

James was at a loss what to do. One minute, Evans had been this close to putting an Unforgivable on him, the next, she was crying in agony again. One look at her tear stained face and James felt that odd tightening sensation in his chest again.

He knelt down beside her; afraid to go and get help in case she cursed him, afraid to touch her in case he hurt her anymore, and then for doing so, she would curse him as well. In James's eyes it was a lose-lose situation.

Finding something to do, he went and got his wand, which had rolled underneath the grand cabinet that held the shield for Special Services to the School. Grabbing his wand, James straightened up and read the name T.M.Riddle emblazoned across it. James knew who Riddle was, though they had never met. With one last look of disgust at the shield, James returned to Evans's side.

After a minute, she gasped the words, "Itching hex...off...now...please!"

The bottom of his stomach dropped when she said this. She knew he had done it, she knew he had done it... and he was still alive? James pointed his wand at her and said, "Finite incantatem." He was furious with himself that he hadn't thought of that sooner.

At his words, her body went limp, obviously relieved, but still in pain.

Taking in deep breaths, Lily got to her feet and leant her forehead on the cold stone wall, she was burning up. The only sound to be heard now was her heaving breathing, her lungs settling down again.

James stood in the middle of the room, hands in his pockets, looking anxiously at the girl he thought was perfect.

"Evans, tell me what happened, and I'll leave. I swear. Who attacked you?" said James honestly.

"If I was attacked - by some Slytherin - or something, - do you not think - I would have gone - straight to Dumbledore?" she asked, her forehead still against the wall, as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I don't know, well, yeah, probably. But then what happened?," he paused, debating whether to say what was on his mind, "Those wounds look fresh, so it must have happened in the past few days," James continued warily.

"Anything that happens to me outside of Hogwarts is none of your, or anyone else's business," she whispered, mentally scolding herself for being so weak, and for even talking to him.

"Did something happen on the train? At Kings Cross? In Diagon Alley? What?" James was getting a bit hysterical now, and he didn't know why.

"Why should I tell you, of all people?" Lily spat, angry for not leaving yet.

Trying to block the mental image of her back, he said softly, "I know I'm a bastard to you Evans, but I'd never, never, do that."

"Yeah, well, somebody else obviously would," Lily muttered bitterly to herself, but James heard.

"A name, just give me a name and I'll-" he asked, almost pleaded. Why do I need to know again? He asked himself. Oh yeah, because I'm Head Boy and it's my ob-

"And you'll what?" she shouted, confused and angry. Lily didn't know what was happening anymore, Potter wasn't supposed to question her, he shouldn't even care.

Wrap it up, Lily, she told herself firmly, before you end up blabbing.

Lily heaved a sigh and spoke clearly, trying to hide the quiver in her voice. She still faced the wall, looking anywhere but his direction.

"Potter-," she stopped and sighed again, "James... for seven years you have made my life a living hell," she stated, "It's a well known fact."

James opened his mouth but she held up a shaking hand, "No, let me talk." James closed his mouth.

"All I'm saying is this, we have seen the effect you have on my school-life, so what good can come of you getting involved with my home-life? Honestly?"

James started to speak but she turned around to face him and he stopped. Her stare was so intense; it felt like she was looking into his soul.

"You don't care about what happens to me," she whispered, "You don't."

Who am I trying to convince? Lily wondered.

"Anything I say here you will use against me, but I'm not going to give you that opportunity. I know you're going to tell the rest of the 'marauders' about this as soon as I leave here, you're so predictable."

Her emerald eyes sparked, challenging him, "You love proving me wrong on all other occasions, why not now? Prove me wrong, James. Don't tell your friends what you saw, don't tell Dumbledore, or McGonagall, or Madam Pomfrey, no one. Do you hear me? This never happened, you can continue on with your perfect little life, you can keep tormenting me, though I'd rather you wouldn't. And I'll-,"she stopped and closed her eyes, as if giving in to something, "I'll continue with my- life."

Then without a backward glance Lily swept from the trophy room and for the first time since he arrived, James felt how cold it was.

Well, he thought, she does have a point; I do love proving her wrong...but, what a minute...did she say-

"Home-life?"

Beads of cold sweat ran down his face as he contemplated what this meant.

At that moment, James felt his world crash around him. And at that moment he knew...

Things would never be the same again.