Evil's Kiss

Chapter Three

It was a very long night. Lily could still remember the look on James's face when she said she had already been asked. His eyes had overcastted with a gloom that boded no good, his personal shutters slammed in place to hide most of his feelings. His body became tense when he asked her whom she was going with. It was as if he already knew and was preparing for a battle.

She could still picture his face falling when she told him.

"I'm going with Tom, Tom Riddle," Lily said in a gentle tone not wanting to hurt James anymore.

James, sounding hurt and surprised at the same time, questioned Lily with a scathing tongue. "Riddle, isn't he in SLYTHERIN?! What could you possibly see in someone like that? Well, what would possess you to even consider a Slytherin?"

"I see a person who wants to go to a ball with me. Besides, since you took your precious time asking me, I went with the first person that extended an invitation. I don't see anything wrong with that. However, I do admit that Tom is a seventh year from Slytherin. He asked me this afternoon before Herbology. Now are you going to do huh? Play the protective father role and make me have every person I want to date approved by you?" Lily replied a bit hotly.

"Maybe I will. The only reason I would do that however, is because you're one of my best friends. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Look, I'm really sorry, but I need to get some rest," Lily explained. What's the big deal? she thought. I'm going with someone who's very nice, handsome, and smart. Why is that such a problem? With those thoughts in mind, she looked at James one more time then turned quickly and escaped into the stairwell.

Lily flew into her dorm. She noisily plopped onto her bed and pulled the curtains closed. She laid there for what seemed like hours, trying to sort through the confusing day. It was a long time until she heard Octavia come up from the common room. Lily had been trying in vain to settle her rampant thoughts when she heard Octavia whispering at the door.

"James, I don't know how you got past the girl's stairwell but you really shouldn't be here."

"I just need to talk to her. Please, it will take no longer than five minutes," James pleaded desperately.

"No, James. She's asleep. We will see you in the morning. Just remember what we talked about, and I bid you good night."

A pause and then, "Fine. You win, see you in the morning." With that last statement, Lily heard Octavia sigh shut the door, then head toward the bathroom. It was only then that the tears of frustration came from Lily's brilliantly green eyes. I'm not going to let a silly little spat between houses ruin one of what was supposed to be- the best nights of my life, she thought bitterly while wiping away her tears. Reminiscing, Lilly thought, Merlin, all of us only have one more year left at Hogwarts. After our seventh year, we're on our own. The sudden turn of thought startled her. Fist she went from boy trouble to the rest of her life! She imagined that it was only yesterday that she received a letter that would change her life forever. Another thought surfaced, this time even worse. Family relations, what are those? Petunia doesn't want anything to do with me; mum and dad might be around but I could never really count on them. It was Petunia that I counted on most of the time for help. But of course, that was because she was the only one who noticed me. But I guess times and people change. Petunia was my best friend until mum and dad started favoring me and giving me more attention once I got my letter. That shouldn't have made her stop talking to me, but noooooo. I never really talked to her after that day. She didn't even come to see me off, Lily thought bitterly. Wondering how long she had been up, Lily peeked through the curtains to steal a glance at her clock. The numbers glowed eerie green in the darkness and read 12:05. Bloody hell, it's gonna be a long night, Lily thought as she rolled over. Succumbing to the restlessness of her mind, Lily never shut an eye.

~

"Lily, wake up!" Octavia whispered.

"What?" Lily slowly sat up and saw Octavia sitting on the edge of her bed. "Oh! I'm up, I'm up," Lily said confused, forgetting today was Thursday, another school day. She pushed back her bed curtains and sat up. That was such a weird dream, she thought to herself.

"Lily, look, James and I were talking for awhile last night after you went to bed, and we both agreed on one thing. We're gonna let you decide if you want to go to the ball with Tom or not. We are your friends and we don't want to do anything that would upset you."

Oh, it wasn't a dream; Lily thought frantically, her defenses already going up. They're going to be so, wait... "What? Really? You guys aren't mad? You really don't mind?" Lily said dumbfounded.

"Well, yeah. We'll all be here for you, too, so if you need anything..." Tavia trailed off, her tone of voice implying a number of things.

"Thanks, Tavia," Lily said. A smile approached her lips and spread. Octavia leaned over and embraced Lily.

After a heartbeat, Octavia spoke up, "Come on. We're gonna be late for breakfast."

The girls dressed quickly, headed down the stairs, and exited the picture frame of a fat lady in a bright pink ball gown. They were quite cheerful until they got to the great hall. They walked through the enormous doors of the great hall and suddenly stopped. Lily looked over and saw the reason Octavia had stopped, which in turn stopped her. All the Slytherins at their house table were looking at her with open repugnance in their gazes.

"I guess someone found out about us," Lily commented.

"You'll be fine tonight Lil, relax!" Tavia replied. They continued walking past the table and overheard faint whispers such as "Mudblood" and "whore." Lily was tempted to turn right around and give them a taste of what red heads were famous for, but Tavia dragged her along until they reached their table. As they sat down, they eagerly grabbed their plates and began piling them full of food.

"You're right," Lily said a little later, a bit resigned, starring into her kippers and toast, "I am going to be fine. Lets finish up and go find James and everyone."

"Okay," Octavia said taking her last sip of orange juice. The two girls finished their breakfasts, gathered their books and bags, and headed off to their first lesson, which happened to be double potions with Slytherins. Great, just great, Lily thought, dear Merlin, just seeing Tom and James in the same room without them being mad at me or each other would be a miracle!" They were halfway down to the dungeons when they met up with the boys.

"Hey guys, wait up!" Tavia called. The boys turned, stopped, and waited. Finally Lily and Octavia caught up with the group and chatted amiably the rest of the way down to the potions. Of course, the main topic was the ball. Who was wearing what, whom was going with whom, and all those small details seemed to be the only thing the girls were interested in, but the boys listened politely anyway.

Peter felt a tad confused, so he decided to voice his thought in an effort to get them straight, "So let me get this correct. Lily, you're going with Tom; Octavia you're with Sirius; James you're taking Poppy Pomphrey; Remus is going with Hannah Violet; and I'm taking Rosa?

"Yeah, that pretty much covers it." Sirius said. He was about to continue when he was interrupted.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't Pottie and his loser friends," a sneering voice snarled behind them. The group turned together, and Sirius's eyes narrowed at what he saw. Snape and his friends were gathered at the entrance the dungeons, spoiling for a fight. James looked at the Slytherins as if sizing them up, while Snape returned the look.

"Well, if it isn't slimeball and his goons. What are you going to do now, throw some pie at me?" James spat in reference to a food fight that happened a few days ago. The two groups glared at each other, hardly breathing. The house rivalry and anger sizzled through the air, all it needed was one small spark to ignite an inferno of rage. Before anyone could do the other harm, an unexpected low voice sounded from the back of the Slytherin group.

"Potter. I'm afraid your bravado has worn a little thin, and to think you are actually considered to be 'cool'," the voice said.

"Who said that?" James said hotly, angered that he couldn't see his attacker, his personal pride wounded. "If anyone here actually believed that they were half a wizard, they'd make their identity known and insult me to my face." At this last remark, the whole room glanced from Potter to the Slytherin group and back to Potter. Since no one showed, Potter and his gang started to walk, when a few Slytherin kids in the group parted. The little semi-circle gasped and knew they were in for a show because of who they saw. James's group tuned once more and faced the acceptor of James's challenge.

At the sight of the contender, Lily paled. "Tom!"

"Hello, Lil," Tom said cordially. He then faced James with malice. "Now Potter, what did you say about me being a real wizard, or for this case, a lack of one?" Tom said dangerously.

"I said that if you had anything to say, you would say it to my face," James said, his body tense. The crowd was closing in; knowing a showdown was coming. But before anything could happen, a certain red head left the crowd of spectators and barged in between them.

"Tom, James, stop it!" Lily scolded. "Look at the two of you, you're acting like first years. Honestly, just stop!" Her eyes went to James's face and she looked into his eyes. She held his gaze and then turned her attention to Tom's eyes. Each look indicated a severe warning to both boys.

"Lily, stay out of this." The two spoke together.

"I will not, especially if the undercurrents are about tomorrow. If they are, neither one of you will be attending because I will personally break both of your pairs of legs. Now we will proceed to potions and leave this silly disagreement behind us. Alright?" Lily looked to James as if willing him to agree with her with her eyes. James slowly, ever so slowly nodded. She looked to Tom with the same look and he copied James nod. Lily, having accomplished what she set out to do, held her head up and moved away from in-between the two boys. She linked arms with Octavia who was standing nearby and chatted all the way into the dungeons, hoping her cheery tone covered her jelly legs.

After the crowd had thinned, the boys were able to speak freely. "Were my eyes just playing tricks on me or did that just happen?" Sirius said, dumbfounded at Lily's bravery. No one stood up to Tom Riddle and came away unscathed. It was a common fact.

"Oh, it happened alright," Peter said gravely.

"Lily's right, though," Remus spoke, "just because Lily is going with him, doesn't mean you're out of the picture."

"I know," James said still angry about not hexing Riddle when he had the chance. "Come on then, we'll get to the bottom of this some way or another and soon," James said. Inevitably, they were the last students to arrive in the classroom. To suite their continuing conversation, they chose seats in the back and continued in low tones.

Tom was amazed Lily's audacity to stand up to him. No one had ever done something like that. Of course, being that he was one of the most promising Hogwarts students of his year, he was advanced enough in his magic that everyone who messed with him knew the repercussions. Weather it be a girl or a boy, he got even in the end. Yet, with her knowing that, she still commanded him like misbehaving first-year. With the fear evident in her eyes, she still commanded them like little children! He still couldn't get over the fact. As Tom watched across the room, he realized that she looked so beautiful as she paid rapt attention to the lesson and took furious notes. As she gave answers to the homework, Tom was memorized. Her beautiful face showed everything she was feeling, unlike his which he kept guarded out of habit. As he kept listening to her, he was just barely aware of that spoiled Potter walking in late with his gang. Barely. He saw the look of pure jealously and hatred that crossed his eyes when their eyes met. Yes, he thought. Lily would be perfect for his plan. Nevertheless, he would still need to teach her a lesson on how no one messed with Tom Riddle and came away unscathed.