Infinite

Chapter Four

Scrumptious Prefects

Every single word that has been written in a letter, there has been a buried message about a boy who loves a girl. At least that's what I feel when I read Brent's letters. He makes me feel like I've never felt before. I feel so corny whenever I talk about Brent, because I know one day I'll look back on this and utterly hate myself for ever being so immature.

Brent was checked out of the hospital wing this morning which was ever so good because there is a prefect meeting in twenty minutes. I can't wait. Who to sit by? Brent or Remus? Maybe I can sit by both of them if I turn my charm on ultra high. How I love being a prefect.

Lily decided that she could write the rest of her thoughts in her journal later. Right now, however, she just wanted to get to that prefect meeting. The redhead stepped out from behind the curtains surrounding her bed. Her emerald orbs glanced across the room as a smile spread across her lips.

The prefect practically skipped down the stairs to the Common Room. How perfect? Remus Lupin, in his school attire, was standing by the portrait hole waiting for her. His sandy hair was hanging in front of his gorgeous amber eyes. His tattered clothes hung loosely on his body. He looked up at the redhead and smiled widely.

"Hey, Lily," he greeted her.

"Why hello, Remy." Lily had dubbed that Remus's official nickname.

"Ready to sit through an exhaustingly tiresome meeting?" Remus asked as the two walked out of the Gryffindor Tower.

"Only if you are." Lily smiled brightly.

The two made small talk all the way to the prefect room. It was quite sad when the two actually had to step inside for the meeting. Brent saved a seat next to him for Lily. The redhead saw there were actually two seats open - score! Lily motioned Remus to sit down next to her which he did. It was like being in heaven. Then the meeting started and it went to hell.

Frank Longbottom went on about a lot of stuff. Lily was seriously suspecting that the boy just liked to hear himself talk. He wasn't a sore sight for eyes though. Several of the female prefects were watching him as if they were in a dreamy state. Alice Prewett was one of them. She was a short, blonde-haired sixth year Gryffindor prefect. It was rumored that she had a huge crush on the head boy, but then again, who wouldn't?

Paris Van Arden was ever so annoying as usual. She wasn't even paying attention to the meeting. She was too busy applying her overuse of make-up onto her toasty face. She might actually be pretty if she didn't load her face with all that crap. Lily thought it was disgusting. All she put on her face was some light foundation and eyeliner to bring out her eyes.

"Anything to add, Paris?" Frank looked absolutely miserable to be working with her.

"I want a Christmas dance," she spoke swiftly as she snapped shut her foundation case. "We really do need a formal event."

"Who would want to go to some prissy dance?" asked Skylar Devereux.

"I would," Kaelyn Salisbury, the Ravenclaw sixth-year prefect, spoke up. "I think it would be fun."

"I think dances are overrated," Lily interjected. "Just like school."

"Well, obviously your opinion doesn't count," Paris leaned over onto the table, "since you are just a fifth year."

"A difference of opinion doesn't make me wrong," Lily retorted. "Just because two fifth years think your idea is crappy doesn't mean we can't have a vote because it's against yours."

"Okay, let's vote then." The head girl seemed incredibly irritated. "All in favor of a Christmas dance, raise your hand."

Paris was the first hand to rise in the air. Then others started to follow suit. Guinevere Haswell, Kaelyn Salisbury, and Alice Prewett were the first to raise their hands. Argh, and Lily actually respected Guinevere. Then, oh no, Brent just had to raise his hand in agreement. All of the seventh year prefects raised their hands, which was just plain wrong. Even Frank Longbottom raised his hand in the air. A couple sixth years joined in as well. Were these people utterly crazy?

"Well, it seems like the dance is in favor." Paris smiled smugly.

"I'm not putting up decorations or anything like that." The redhead leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Don't pout, Lily." Frank - Frank - had actually told her not to pout. That hurt, she thought he was pretty decent. "You will help with the dance, as will everyone else in this room."

"Can I trade this job for what's behind door number one?"

Several of the prefects who wanted nothing to do with the dance snickered at Lily's comment. Remus even smiled at her. This dance, however, faltered Lily's good mood. A dance? Who would even go? She didn't want to prepare it. She didn't want anything to do with it. Gah!

The rest of the meeting was just talking about the patrol schedules and "special duties" for the Christmas dance. The only thing that could stop the dance from happening was if Professor Dumbledore vetoed the idea. Lily hoped that the eccentric headmaster would veto it quicker than James Potter uttering a hex under his breath.

The meeting was over a good hour later. How can a group of people talk for so long? It was unnatural. Lily stood up and stretched when Frank officially declared the meeting over. Remus gathered up some papers that were handed out and placed them neatly into his tattered bag. He slung it over his shoulder and waited for Lily to accompany him back to the dormitory.

"Hey, Paris!" Lily really couldn't resist the chance to insult the head girl. "Whatever look you were going for, you missed!"

Before Paris could fully understand what Lily said, the redhead grabbed the pale boy by the wrist and practically dragged him out of the prefect room. The two ran down the corridors until they reached the Fat Lady. The two prefects were out of breath and that caused them to start laughing. The two friends fell to the floor.

"I - I haven't run so - so fast since I was a - a little girl," Lily wheezed as she rested her head on Remus's shoulders.

"I haven't run like this in forever," he responded with a gleam in his amber eyes.

"Well, that's just scandalous!" Lily exclaimed. "We'll have to do this more often! We'll have to do things on the spur of the moment. I bet you don't do anything spur of the moment."

"Plan for tomorrow: be spontaneous." Remus smiled widely.

"Sounds like a pretty spanking fantastic plan to me."

"Are you coming in or not?" The Fat Lady sounded pretty irritated.

"I can only be myself, I'm sorry that's hell for you." Lily smiled and then spoke the password.

"My goodness!"

The two comrades walked into Gryffindor Tower into the Common Room. It was time for partings until tomorrow. Tomorrow was September twentieth; the day Remy Lupin would be spontaneous. He did promise after all.

"G'night, Lils." Remus raised his right hand up lazily before it fell down to his side.

"Goodnight, Remy."

Remus disappeared up the stairs, leaving Lily to stand alone in the abandoned Common Room. The redhead had so many conflicting emotions in her that she didn't know which to follow. How in the world did she know who was right for her and who wasn't right? Maybe Brent and Remus were both the wrong guy for her. Maybe the one was actually someone she least expected.

Lily sighed before she walked up to the girl's dormitory. She peaked inside to see everyone asleep, or what appeared to be so. Lily went over to her wardrobe and pulled out her pajamas. She quickly changed and settled into her comfy bed. She closed her eyes and let her dreams cloud her mind.

"Lily Evans!"

Lily cracked opened an eye and looked around at her surroundings. Her name was called again in an awfully aggravating tone. Rhia. The redhead sat up in bed with her hair a curly mess. She stepped out from behind the curtains to see a fully dressed Rhiannon Cromwell staring at her.

"What time is it?"

"Eight."

"Bugger!"

Lily's first class was at nine. She'd never be ready in time! Bugger! Bugger! Bugger! The prefect flew through the room trying to assemble herself in her school attire. In fifteen quick, hectic minutes, Lily was fully clothed and somewhat presentable. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, her tie was disheveled, and her clothes were twisted on her thin frame.

"Time!" Lily shouted.

"8:45."

"Liar," Lily mumbled as she scrambled through her nightstand drawer for her watch.

"8:17." Rhia sighed. "Now come on, let's get down to breakfast."

The two girls made their way down to the Great Hall. They practically dashed through the corridors to get to the dining hall in a record ten minutes. Gryffindor Tower was on the very top floor while the Great Hall was on the first floor. Let's just say that's a lot of stairs.

The best friends walked in to see August sitting with the Marauders. What in the name of all that is holy was she doing there? Maybe she fancied Remus? They were always talking lately - oh no. Lily froze in her tracks. She couldn't like her friend's boy. Lily wouldn't go for him. No, she would go for Brent. That's it. It'll all work out.

"Lily!"

The redhead jumped back to see Sirius Black standing behind her grinning like a bloody idiot. Did he really have no life? Lily told Black to bugger off as she walked towards the table to get a quick breakfast.

"That's no way to talk to your friend," Sirius retorted.

"But I'm not your friend," Lily replied as she stabbed a fork into a pile of eggs.

"What's meant to be will always find a way." Sirius picked up a slice of bacon and waved it in front of Lily's face.

"Well, what you're suggesting is that I can hope and wish for a new big sister and that will happen?"

"No, because that's not meant to be."

"I think she was adopted," Lily whispered. "She's not right in the head. She's a retard."

"Well, then, you fit in with her quite nicely," Sirius smirked, "because you're a retard as well."

"I'm a retarded genius," Lily spoke in an irritated tone. "Get it right."

Sirius snorted slightly as he started to play with a roll. He was rolling it on the table as if deciding what the next course of action was. Lily had to admit; she knew exactly why her best friend drooled over him. He was drop dead gorgeous. It was all in the eyes. His eyes were like gray orbs to his soul. They showed so much pain and knowledge; it was alluring. Then again, his hair was pretty nice too.

"Remus tells me there's going to be a Christmas dance," he commented as his gray orbs caught her emerald orbs. "You have a date?"

"No, it was just announced last night. Plus, there's a little over three months to go before it actually comes."

"You know who you want to go with?"

"I'm hoping that a certain boy will ask me..."

If only James Potter wasn't a git.

Wait, what? Lily snapped her head up and a look of shock crossed her face. Why was she thinking about going with James Potter of all people? No. Oh, bugger. She meant Brent Paddock. Yes, Brent. She wanted Brent to ask her.

"Sorry, but I don't want you to think I'll ask you." Sirius grimaced. "That's not what I wanted you to think. I'm not going to ask you."

"Oh, gee, thanks," Lily spoke sarcastically. "You really make me feel like a winner."

"No, no. I'm sorry." Sirius sighed. "So you think Paddock will ask you?"

Lily glanced towards him with a condescending look etched on her face. She was quite confident that Brent would ask her, and she was quite confident that she would say yes. Maybe Sirius would ask Rhia. Then Remus could ask August. Then James Potter could ask every single girl, and every girl will turn him down? That would be bittersweet.

"Well, I don't know," Lily lied slightly. "Depends on whether any other girl starts foaming at the mouth when she sees him. There are so many pretty girls in this school. He'll probably ask one of them."

"You're pretty," Sirius replied but then thought better of it when he saw Lily's quizzical look. "I mean, in a disgusting way. Oh, you're so horrid."

"Thanks," Lily said sourly. "You're pretty hideous yourself."

"Thanks!" Sirius smiled widely. "I'm glad we can sit around and joke like this. It really makes my day."

"Yes, and I'm glad you haven't found out about that drool on your pillow yet," Lily grinned while she stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder.

"What about the drool on my pillow?" Sirius inquired as he got up as well.

"Sometimes when you wake up in the morning, the drool on your pillow isn't always yours."

"That's a very scary and creepy thought, Lily," Sirius said thoughtfully as the two walked out of the Great Hall. "I never thought you were quite this stalker-ish. I'm intrigued though. Please, teach me your ways. Is there a handbook?"

"Speaking of stalking," Lily turned right down a corridor only to see Sirius do the same, "I'm very keen on knowing why you feel the need to stalk and harass me."

Sirius wrapped an arm around Lily's shoulders as the two walked towards Defense Against the Dark Arts together. It was very disturbing. Lily loved attention and affection, but not necessarily from a boy she barely even knows.

"I think you're rather enchanting."

"I think you're rather annoying," Lily commented. "Did I mention the kick in the groin you'll be receiving if you keep touching me?"

Sirius drew back his arm and let it fall limply to his side. There was a smile on his face as he glanced towards the redhead. The two walked in silence to the Defense room on the third floor. Once there, Lily expected them to diverge to their separate parts of the room. The prefect thought wrong. Sirius followed her to the left side of the room and sat down next to her.

"Please go away, I'm allegoric to creeps," Lily whined slightly.

"Argh, that cut me deep. I'm not a creep!" Sirius moaned as he touched his heart. "I thought you were teaching me how to be a notorious stalker!"

"Maybe later."

Why was it that every time Lily was late getting ready for class, she was always early to class? Ironic little? Everyone else soon started filing into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Rhia, August, and the Marauders didn't quite know what to do when they walked in. It was very unusual for them to sit together. James walked over and sat on the other side of Sirius with a suspicious look on his face. A disappointed Rhia took a seat next to her best friend. August sat down next to Rhia as Remus sat down next to August. Peter sat down next to James. It was quite an odd grouping.

Professor Vanderveer walked into the classroom from his office above the room. His golden smile was etched on his face like usual. His long mane of brown hair flowed down to his shoulders. His sunken cheeks and scruffy appearance made some of the girls daydream about him. He was in his late thirties. The professor was an ex-Auror. He, unfortunately, had to retire due to an injury to his knee on the job. He was labeled a liability. He did receive an honorable discharge, but the professor burned it. He started teaching last May when the last Defense professor got brutally attacked in the Forbidden Forest.

A piece of parchment found its way in front of Lily. The prefect glanced over at her best friend before picking up the parchment and reading it. It read:

"Do you like Sirius? Does he like you? Be honest, Lily."

The redhead didn't know how to respond. She grabbed a quill from her bag and wrote:

"Owe. That hurts, Rhia. I can't believe you would ever think that. I know you like him, and I'd never go for someone my friends like. Sirius and I are just friends."

Lily slid the parchment over towards Rhia.

"Today, class, we will be learning about the most vicious curses known to wizard kind." Professor Vanderveer surveyed the students before continuing. "The Unforgivable Curses. Who can name one?"

Lily looked around the room. She had never heard of the Unforgivable Curses before. She assumed they were curses that could kill, because that is unforgivable. Other than that, Lily hadn't the faintest idea. The redhead looked over to see a very pale James Potter. He looked ever so sad at this point. Sirius's face was hard with detest.

"Miss Diefendorf?"

"The Imperious Curse is known to control the mind of anyone who is placed under it with the incantation of 'Imperio'."

"Ten points to Gryffindor," Professor Vanderveer said aloofly. "Miss Black?"

"Crucio, Latin for 'to torture', causes excruciating pain to anyone it is cast on."

Lily could hear James breathing hard. He was as pale as a ghost at this point. His eyes looked unfocused and cold. The redhead watched as Sirius placed a comforting hand on his best friend's shoulder and whispered something. What was going on?

"Ten points to Slytherin," said Professor Vanderveer who stared at James at this point. "Mr. Potter? I suspect you know the last curse very well."

James looked up at the professor with pure hatred shining in his eyes. Lily watched James reach for his wand, only to have Sirius stop him. The professor walked towards them with a determined look on his face. Professor Vanderveer leaned down to face the messy-haired boy.

"Your father would be disgusted if he saw this was the way you were acting," the professor whispered only loud enough so that Lily could hear him. "It's a disgrace to Beau's memory."

"Avada Kedavra," James whispered acrimoniously.

"What does Avada Kedavra do, Mr. Potter?"

"A flash of green light emits from a wand and kills the target."

"Ten points to Gryffindor," Professor Vanderveer smirked as he walked back up to the front of the classroom.

"Bastard," Sirius spoke softly.

"Sorry I questioned you," Lily turned her gaze down to the note that was on her desk from Rhia. The rest of the class period was spent analyzing the three curses. James hadn't uttered a single word since the display at the beginning of the class. The bell rung to indicate class was over. James and Sirius bolted out of the room as quickly as possible. Their assignment was to choose a curse and research it.

"What was that all about?" Lily asked as the three female friends walked down for lunch. "With James and Vanderveer?"

"James's older brother was an Auror," Rhia explained. "He was murdered with Avada Kedavra about three years ago."

"That's horrible."

"Yeah, I don't know too much about it. Apparently Vanderveer was involved somehow," Rhia continued while she reached through her bag and pulled out a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. "My father told me not to go near him alone."

"So you're saying Professor Vanderveer is a Death Eater?" August asked.

"Death Eater?" Lily asked, aghast. "Why would anyone want to eat the dead?"

Rhia and August both looked over at Lily as if they had never seen anything like her before. The look Lily was receiving was unnerving. Maybe this was one of those 'ask Remus' questions.

"Well?"

"Death Eaters are followers of You-Know-Who," Rhia said softly.

"No, I don't know who - oh, right. That's that bloke Voldymelts?" Lily questioned.

"Lily!" August exclaimed in fright.

"Don't speak, Lily." Rhia shook her head.

"Argh! This is stupid! No one ever listens to me until I make a mistake, and then you people are all 'Oh my, Lily, don't say such horrid things. You're such a horrible person. Can't you just shut up for once?' I'm sick of it!" Lily whined. "Why don't you just never pay attention to what I say even when I say something wrong? Eh?"

"Maybe you should read the Daily Prophet a little more," August suggested.

"Uh, August, that requires money."

The two girls started to walk away from Lily. It was then that the redhead shouted, "Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that everything in life is serious!" She knew that her friends heard her and that was enough for Lily.

A hand then covered Lily's eyes. She smiled and secretly hoped it was Brent behind her. She blinked her eyes several times to make her eyelashes tickle the person's hand. She succeeded for the hand drew back and a male chuckle was heard from behind her. The redhead turned around to see Brent Paddock standing behind her.

"You're ever so devilish," Lily smirked.

"Devilish?" Brent questioned her.

"Don't worry about it," replied Lily with a wave of her right hand.

"I don't know if I'll be able to sleep now!"

"If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried." Lily smirked.

"Anyways, enough of that silliness." Brent waved a hand reminiscent to the motion Lily made not too long ago. "I was thinking about this Christmas Ball that's coming up in several months-"

"You mean the one that you're all for? That one? The stupid one that Paris Van Arden suggested?"

"Yes, precisely!" Brent smiled. "You're a very intelligent girl!"

"I know; I am truly amazing. I just can't help it!"

"Well, I think it would be prudent if the two of us went together."

Shocked, Lily dropped her jaw down. It looked like Brent Paddock was the one after all.

"What if you change your mind from now to then?" Lily questioned.

"Oh, I won't. That's why I'm asking you to be my date." Brent smiled as he grasped Lily's hand in his. "Next weekend is the first Hogsmeade weekend, and I was hoping that we could go together.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Lily's heart was beating so fast that it felt as though it were going to burst from her chest cavity. Lily? Go on a date? She had never been on a date before. This was all too bittersweet! Eek! Lily wanted to scream and dance and prance around.

"I would love to." Lily tried not to make a big deal out of it when it really was.

"I'll see you in Herbology tomorrow." Brent leaned over and kissed the redhead on the cheek. "Ravenclaws and Gryffindors have that together."

"I would have never guessed."

Lily was blindsided by Brent's good looks that she didn't see what was right in front of her. The redhead would one day hate the boy with a fiery passion for a series of mistakes he would make. She would find out that you shouldn't trust people just because you know them from classes and prefect meetings. Some people were just plain evil. She would find out that some people did the things they did with good intentions or out of anger. Some people were just vengeful but extremely good people. Lily would find out that she didn't know her best friends at all, and that they were masked by fear and uncertainties. There was a certain evil that was rising, and it was looking for blood. It was out for Lily's blood.