The Marauders Abroad

Chapter Two

Perfect by nature/

Icons of self-indulgence/

Just what we all need/

More lies about a world that/

Never was and never will be/

Have you no shame, Don't you see me/

You know you've got everybody fooled. /

-Everybody's Fool by Evanescence from their CD Fallen

From the Very Secret Diary of Lily Elizabeth Evans, aka Lee-lee:

Dear Diary,

Do you know what those imbeciles did today? Somehow, they found out that my nickname is Lee-lee. And, of course, it was plastered all over the Great Hall. Literally. I'm about ready to strangle the Marauders.

Bunch of bloody idiots! Just who do they think they are? They run around the school like it's their own personal kingdom and they're pampered little princes! As if! That's only going to happen once Hell freezes over and Satan's throwing snowballs Voldemort's way. Ooh! I am sooo mad at them!

Besides that little incident, Dumbledore took us out of Potions. Us being Potter and myself. He then proceeded to lecture us on setting a good example for the ickle firsties. As if I ever did anything bad! I'm not the one who breaks rules and then smiles at a teacher to get out of it. I'm sure you know just exactly whom I'm talking about.

Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew. The first three always manage to never get caught. Peter on the other hand, well that's another story! He gets blamed for everything. Well, for everything he does.

I'll give Potter his due. If a friend gets blamed for something they didn't do, he'll take the blame as his own. There are a few good deeds, anyway. Not too many, and who knows if it'll be enough to get him to the pearly gates.

But... They can be really sweet. The Marauders, I mean. I remember once when it was my birthday, we came down to breakfast and candles lighted the entire place. They stood in little bunches of fifteen, which was how old I was that day. Balloons floated everywhere and so did confetti. A huge cake, enough for the entire Griffindor House, if I recall, sat right in the middle of the table.

It was covered in gold icing, with red piping around the edges of the words. A beautiful hippogriff, my favorite animal, was cleverly drawn onto the cake. It's outspread wings touched one edge of the cake. Above that was the words 'Happy Birthday, Lily. Have fun!'

A giant banner rose above the Hall with the same words and the Marauders signature. Everybody loved it, and more than a few people were jealous of me.

But of all the things about that little party that I remember, there is one detail that sticks in my mind. I remember seeing Potter and Co. standing there laughing at something. I remember thinking how cute Potter looked when he laughed. All of a sudden, everything slowed down and the crowd between us parted. He turned to me, toasting me with his pumpkin juice. There was a decidedly wicked gleam in his eyes, and it was then that I knew I really liked him. I also figured out something a little more important. He was one of the infamous Marauders. It didn't take me long to fit all of the pieces together and figure out who the others were.

So, from then on, I've had a secret crush on James Potter. And to think, it's two years later, we're in our seventh year, and he has no idea. I wish that for once, he would stop smirking at me and see me. You know, not as 'Evans' but as Lily. It's so confusing and frustrating. Of course, diary, you're the only one who knows. Oh well, maybe one day his blindfold will be gone. Until then, I'm just Evans. And somehow, he still thinks that he's got everybody fooled.