Nothing On Earth

Chapter Ten

5:40 PM

James rapped his knuckles hard against stateroom D-22's door and waited for the occupant to answer. He glanced up and down the corridor, noticing a few other passengers approaching from further down the corridor, then shifted nervously, mentally willing Sirius to open his damn door faster so he wouldn't have a repeat of what had just occurred twenty minutes ago.

After he had left Lily standing in her doorway, he attempted to make his way down to D-deck where Sirius's stateroom was located. Unfortunately, a steward had caught him descending the Grand Staircase and he was promptly kicked back down to the third class. The steward obviously thought that once James was behind locked gates, he would stay there, but once the steward had gone back above decks, James had picked the gate's lock and snuck back up to D-deck.

Suddenly, the handle on the stateroom door rattled and the door swung back. However, standing behind it was not the person James had expected to answer.

"Oh...er...Hullo, Regulus," James greeted uncomfortably, staring into the eyes of his friend's brother. "How are you doing?"

Regulus Black narrowed his cold blue eyes at James and his face twisted into an unpleasant sneer. He was already dressed in his dinner things and his black hair was swept back rather imposingly.

"Aren't you in the wrong class, Potter? If the state of your clothes indicates anything," Regulus' sneer deepened as he took in James's appearance and his words dripped with contempt, "you're still as dirt poor as I last remember you...Do you want me to call a steward to escort you back to where you belong?"

James frowned at the younger man, exasperated.

"I'm glad to see that you haven't changed at all," he replied evenly. "Actually, I'm in the right class and I'm looking for your brother. He's in, right?"

"Sirius doesn't associate with your kind any more, Potter. Didn't you know that already?" Regulus asked. "Or was he just reluctant to inform his loyal followers - "

"Oh, just get out of the way, Regulus, and let Potter in for God's sake!" Sirius exclaimed, walking up behind his younger brother only clothed in his trousers and a white shirt. He frowned and lightly shoved him out of the way. "If you want to have a spat than come inside and do it. I don't need you two to cause a scene in the corridor for everyone to see."

It was astounding how the two brothers could look so alike and yet could be so different at the same time. Both Blacks had the same blue eyes (although Regulus' were much colder and paler) and the same black locks that framed their regal, handsome features. They were tall and lanky, but as Sirius was older, he had a slight height advantage over his brother.

Their similarities ended at their looks, however. The two were as different as night and day when it came to their personalities. Regulus lacked the natural confidence that made his older brother such a charismatic person to be around and wasn't quite as expressive or playful. He had a shrewd, calculating nature that often gave off the impression that whenever he was doing something, he was only doing it as to benefit himself.

"I thought you said that you were finished with people like him," Regulus stated, glaring at his older brother. "Or perhaps I heard you incorrectly?"

His words and eyes were thick with a suspicion James was sure had been lurking for quite a few weeks. Sirius had started acting like a great prat weeks before he had boarded Titanic to make his job of spying on Death Eaters a bit easier. It was a good thing as well; otherwise, Regulus would've gone running to Malfoy the moment Sirius started his ploy.

"It happens that I owe him a favour and after three years, he's finally decided to use it," Sirius shot back irritably. "Otherwise, I wouldn't consider coming near riffraff like him."

"It's not like I enjoy taking a favour from a narcissistic bastard like yourself either," James added, playing right along with Sirius. He pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose and shot his friend a disgusted glare. "I just want some dinner clothes and then I'll be gone."

"Why do you need dinner clothes?" Regulus asked, glancing between the two of them pryingly.

Sirius rolled his eyes and motioned for James to come inside the stateroom. He did so, pushing past Regulus (who was trying to block the door), and walked into the room, standing in the middle as Regulus slammed the door shut. The younger Black leaned on the doorjamb and continued to scowl at James.

"What'd you need dinner clothes for anyway?" he repeated as Sirius walked into a small, adjoining room to the left of James. "You're not coming to dinner, are you?"

"Excellent deduction, Sherlock," Sirius snapped from the adjoining room. He stepped out of what must've been the wardrobe a moment later, a pile of nice clothes in his hands. "Mal - Lucius invited him to dinner tonight and he wants to look suitable enough to pass as a gentleman. God knows he needs more than clothes to pull that off..." Sirius shot a condescending look toward James, who got the strong impression that Sirius had borrowed that look from his mother. "I hope you don't mind, but he's going to have to borrow one of your sets. Mine are too big for him."

Regulus wrinkled his nose in distaste as his brother dumped the clothes into James's arms and then stated, "I'm going to have to burn that set after he's done with them...I'll be lucky if I don't escape this room without catching one of his diseases."

"I'll be lucky if I don't turn into a stuck-up arse after I get done wearing these," James retorted.

The corners of Sirius's lips twitched in amusement and Regulus glowered darkly. He removed himself from the door and walked over to one of the nightstands, picking up a familiar set of pearl studded cuff links.

"Why did Lucius bother to lower himself to invite such vermin to dinner, Sirius?" he asked, putting on the cuff links. James noticed he was watching him out of the corner of his eye and he nearly sighed in exasperation.

"I saved his fiancée's life, so he decided to use his manners and invite me to dinner as repayment. Shocking, isn't it?"

"Did I ask you, you worthless worm - "

"Are you about done asking stupid questions yet, you twat?" Sirius interrupted, noticing his brother's increasingly rude (and twitchy) behaviour. "Since you're all ready and Potter's presence seems to be such a great bother to you and your cuff links, why don't you just get out of here and go to bloody dinner already?" He pointed at the door. "It's not like you're needed here any more."

"Potter isn't bothering me," the younger boy denied, snorting in disbelief at his brother's presumption. However, he did try to stay as far away from James as he could when he walked back over to the door and opened it.

"Don't you be listening at the door! I'll know if you do!"

"Oh, and Regulus?" James called as the younger man stepped out the door. "If I had wanted those cufflinks that badly, I would've stolen them again after I had given them back to you in the first place."

Regulus shot James one final glare of disgust at him before he slammed the door shut, rattling the crystal chandelier on the ceiling. They waited for his footsteps to fade down the hallway before they spoke again.
"Do I actually have to wear his clothes?" James implored, looking at Sirius for confirmation.

"Christ! I hate that little bastard!" Sirius exclaimed loudly, ignoring James's enquiry. He threw his dinner jacket on the floor violently and marched over to the chest of drawers to throw some more expensive things. "How can I be related to such a pricky, stuck-up, snot nosed brat?"

"I suppose it's the same way you can be related to a maid-murdering mad woman," James replied, ducking as something breakable flew over his head.

"Sometimes he acts so bad that I just want to rip every limb from his body and just - ARGH!"

James laughed and walked over toward the walk-in wardrobe to change.

"Seeing yours and Regulus' relationship makes me appreciate the fact that I don't have any siblings all the better."

***

Lily hummed softly as she pulled up hair, delicately pinning each piece into place. She eyed her reflection in the mirror critically, turning her head side to side for a better look. Satisfied, she set her brush down and reached for her oak jewellery box. She opened it and began searching through the contents for a decorative hairpiece.

As she was pulling out a gold, diamond studded hair clip, there was a soft knock on her door. Without even waiting for her permission to enter, the door opened and Lucius stepped through, reflected in her mirror.

"Lucius!" she exclaimed, looking over her shoulder at him. She drew her dressing gown tight over her chest. "Couldn't you have waited a few more minutes? I'm not properly dressed!"

"Is that what you're wearing tonight?" he asked, completely ignoring her protest and pointing to the evening gown lain out on her bed.

"Yes," she replied stiffly, watching him closely.

The gown she had picked out for tonight was her favourite one. It was gold satin with a second layer of sheer black material covering the satin. The train was all gold except for a streak of black down the middle and was shorter than the usual fashion. Her favourite detail of the dress was that it dropped deliciously low in the front and back...

She thought James would particularly enjoy that aspect of it.

"You're not wearing it," Lucius stated shortly after inspecting the dress closely.

"What? Why not?" she exclaimed angrily, rising from her chair. Her grip on her dressing gown loosed and Lucius got a quick view of her corsets before she quickly covered herself again. "I like that gown!"

"You're not wearing that gown. It won't match," Lucius responded, his voice hard. His eyes were focused on the area where her dressing down had been open and there was a hunger in them she had never seen before.

"It won't match with what?" she asked, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. She clutched her dressing robe tighter over her chest, wishing she had something more than a corset on underneath.

"This."

He moved forward and held out a familiar black velvet box. Lily stepped back in surprise, bumping into her vanity.

"The heirloom? B - But I don't want to wear it."

His eyes flashed and he moved in closer, looking dangerous. She tried to back away but the vanity blocked her movements.

"Why don't you want to wear the necklace? You're my fiancée," he stated, stopping in front of her. He placed the box on the vanity counter, leaving his hands free, and moved a few inches closer. "You're expected to wear these sorts of jewels. It conveys your place, your power to the rest of the world...Why wouldn't you want to wear it?"

She couldn't tell him how much the necklace made her feel like a prisoner, how she hated the feel and the look of it around her neck. She didn't want to feel its cold, heavy weight bearing down on her, reminding her that she was his or -

"Well?" he asked impatiently, laying his hands on her shoulders.

"People...people will talk," she murmured, her chest heaving in panic. She tried to back away again, but the vanity and his imprisoning arms kept her securely in place. "I'm not a Malfoy, yet I'm still wearing something of the family's...It will give people ideas."

There was barely any room between them now and she could feel his hot breath against her cheek. One of his hands left her shoulder and moved lower, brushing past her chest and settling on her waist.

"I can make you become a Malfoy," he replied, his voice low and suggestive. He gripped her hand that was keeping the top of her dressing robe closed and slowly pried it away from the cloth. "I'm sure it wouldn't bother you as much if their ideas were the truth."

His lower hand began untying the string of her robe and it fell open a moment later. His hands dipped inside and -

"S-Stop!"

He paused, his grip loosening on the cloth, and she pushed him away, frightened. He shot her a hard look and she turned away, trying to cover herself. There was a stiff, unpleasant silence between them for a moment and then...

"Lily - " he began warningly, reaching out and gripping her shoulder.

"I - I have to get ready!" she snapped, shrugging his hand off her shoulder violently. She turned and brushed past him, toward her wardrobe. "What - What do you want me to wear instead?"

He didn't answer, but instead marched over to the door. His footsteps paused right behind her for a second and she froze, terrified, but then he continued on his way and opened the door.

"Try something green," he suggested callously and she could just imagine the furious glare he was sending her. He then ended their conversation with the violent slamming of the stateroom door, causing the beads to rattle in the light fixture above her head.

Lily let out a breath she hadn't been aware that she was holding and buried her face in her trembling hands.

***

"Good evening sir."

James stared.

The steward who was holding the Grand Staircase door open for him was the same steward who'd had him tossed back into third class nearly an hour ago.

"Er...right," he replied, nodding politely to the steward as he passed through the door and into the foyer. He twisted his head, taking one last glance at the steward.

Did he really look that different without his baggy clothes and with his hair combed properly for once?

Shaking his head in amusement, James walked over toward the railing and looked out over the Grand Staircase foyer. The wrought iron dome was illuminated brightly and it cast a golden glow over the entire area. The elegance here was astounding; from the intricacies of the oaken staircase to the glittering riches of the passengers. Nothing was second rate.

Slowly, James made his way over the staircase and went down. He stopped at the landing to look at the astounding clock. It was ten minutes after six and - after a quick look around the lower foyer - there was no sign of his dinner mates. Hoping that he hadn't missed them already, James walked down the rest of the staircase and over to a wooden pillar nearby. He leaned against it and crossed his arms of his chest, trying to relax.

Quite a few other passengers came down the stairs within the first few minutes of James' wait, but none of them were people he wanted to see. Nearly all of them glared at him as he passed, which made James wonder if the incident with the steward had just been a fluke.

When the clock had reached twenty after, Sirius appeared on the staircase with his mother perched on his arm. Lacerta Black looked imposing, dressed in all grey silk with small sapphire necklace glittering on her neck. Sirius looked fancy as well, but both of them shared the same angry, annoyed expression that implied that they'd probably just finished arguing.

When they passed by James's perch (Lacerta sniffed haughtily at him), Sirius cleared his throat loudly and straightened his posture quite a bit more. James stared after his friend, wondering what on earth that had been about -

Oh. Right.

James uncrossed his arms and stopped leaning on the column. He brushed his tuxedo off carefully and glanced around the foyer, making sure no one had seen his sudden, ungraceful movement. He placed one hand behind his back and straightened his back until he was nearly rigid.

Posture was important in this world, right along with money and power. Professor Flitwick had once told him that posture reflected a man's grip on the world and his poor posture probably explained why all the first passengers had been glaring at him.

There were so many rules he needed to remember, so many facts and explanations. He felt like a spy going into enemy territory (a feeling he was rather familiar with), were one false step could jeopardise everything.

James was ready to call the whole thing quits and go back to third class, when he spotted Malfoy coming down the stairs. Instead of Lily on his arm, Petunia Dursley was roosted there instead. The two of them were talking rather stiffly to one another and they made it to the bottom of the staircase faster than he had thought imaginable.

Sighing resolutely, James stepped forward, intending to greet them.

They didn't stop. Malfoy didn't even look in his direction and Petunia glared down her nose at him as they glided right past him. James pulled back his extended hand quickly and stared incredulously at their retreating backs. Either he looked passable enough to fool Lucius Malfoy or that man simply did not have common courtesy.

Well, now that he had been snubbed, he had a perfectly acceptable reason to be a prat to Malfoy for the rest of the -

There was suddenly a tentative tap on his shoulder and an inquisitive voice asked, "James?"

Surprised, he turned and was met with a set of beautiful green eyes that he was all too familiar with. They were sparkling lightly with delight, reminding James of two jewels that were far too beautiful for their own good. Christ, he loved her eyes...

"How...How did you recognise me?" James asked slowly, finally coming to senses and tearing his eyes away from hers. "Everyone else just went right past me."

Lily giggled, a wonderful, melodious sound that filled James's ears.

"Despite that your obviously combed it, your hair stills sticks up funny in the back."

Speaking of hair...Hers was absolutely stunning tonight. She had only pinned half of it up and the rest cascaded gently down her back in long, red tresses. Two small curls remained free in the front, framing her angelic face immaculately. If she left her hair down all the time, James was sure he would go insane from wanting to run his hands through all of it.

"It is?" James replied and she nodded in response. "Bugger, I knew I missed something..."

He reached up to pat the offending strands of his hair down, though he knew it probably wouldn't help at all.

"Don't!" Lily exclaimed, grabbing his hand with her white gloved one. The silk was soft against his skin, reminding of the way her hand had felt when he had first held it. "Your hair...it looks better that way."

And she looked better than he had ever seen her. Her dress flowed marvellously around her, complementing every aspect of her features. It was made of snowy white silk, studded with pearls and sparkling beads, and was complimented by the pearl hairclip she had in. She reminded him of the pictures he had seen of fairies - delicate, precious, and striking.

"You think so?" he said, lowering his hand with hers still tightly wrapped around it.

She nodded and something glittered on her neck. James glanced down briefly and started.

"What's that around your neck?"

***

"O - Oh," Lily stuttered, placing her free hand over the offending object. The gem's coolness seeped through her silk gloves and a small shiver passed through her. "It's a necklace...Lucius gave it to me, as a wedding present."

God, how she hated wearing this thing...She already felt enough like a prize show horse the way it was without adding this gaudy trinket to the deal. If Lucius wanted to display his family's wealth, why couldn't he wear the damn thing?

"A little soon for wedding presents, isn't it?" James asked in return, peering closely at the bits that weren't covered by her hand. A lock of hair fell across his forehead and he brushed it back with the rest irritably.

She could barely recognise him as the same windswept, scruffy James she had spent the last two days with. The suit he had acquired was immaculate, the fine Italian fabric pressed down with precision, and it hung off of him far too well. His hair was combed (except for the stubborn bit in the back, of course) and slicked away from his face, bringing out his high forehead and cheekbones a bit better. He was even holding himself differently, and if Lily hadn't known any better, she would've thought he belonged in the first class.

Though he looked better than many of her fellow passengers, wearing a suit just didn't become James and for some reason, it bothered her to see him trying to be someone other than himself.

"Well, if you ask me, I think it looks like some fancy dog collar," he concluded at last. He let go of her hand and offered his elbow to her. "And how ever did you walk down the stairs without overbalancing and falling down?"

She laughed, although James seemed genuinely concerned about the safety of wearing such a heavy necklace. She looped her arm through his, pleased to see that his personality hadn't been combed down as much as his hair, and he slowly led her over to Lucius and Petunia.

It felt strange, being on his arm instead of Lucius's, but it was a good strange, if there ever was such a thing. Lucius had a stiff, solid grip and was always tugging and pulling at her to hurry. James's grip, on the hand, was strong and he seemed to be trying to walk evenly with her. Also unlike her fiancé, he didn't try to show her off to every important person he saw.

Then again, Lily realised as she reached out to tap Lucius on the shoulder, she wasn't his to show off.

"Darling?" she asked in faked honeyed tones and felt him stiffen at her touch.

He turned and his cold eyes surveyed her with great distaste. He was still angry, though she wasn't surprised at that. They'd had another row after she had come out of her room dressed in the wrong colour and he had been absolutely furious at her refusal to change again. He'd silently fumed on the ride up on the lift, shooting her nasty glares whenever he thought she wasn't looking. Lily had ignored him then and was planning on continuing the row if he didn't start acting like an adult soon.

His eyes soon left her and swept over to James. A puzzled expression suddenly overtook his features as he looked over James and glanced at Petunia questioningly. Petunia gave a small shrug, wearing the same expression on her face.

"You remember Mr. Potter, don't you?" Lily continued, trying to keep the amusement out of her voice.

Lucius started in surprise and Petunia's eyes widened comically as she quickly did another once over James, combing for flaws.

"...Potter?" he repeated, sounding amazed. A fake smile crept onto his face as Petunia's contorted into a small sneer. "Well. You look quite a bit different from the last time I saw you...Why, you could almost pass as a gentleman now, couldn't you?"

"Almost," James replied lightly, apparently not all bothered by Lucius's barb.

"How extraordinary," Lucius muttered, his smile turning into a smirk as he turned back around, Petunia after following him.

Lily glared at the back of his head. Did he have to be rude to everyone she liked?

"Why didn't you snap back at him?" she asked once Lucius was out of earshot. She glanced at James questioningly as they began descending the second flight of stairs.

"A sage man once told me that I had to pick my battles and not waste my life trying to defend every insult to my honour," James replied, waving at a couple coming up on the other side of the stairs. "I'm letting this one pass because it's not important."

"And what's an important battle?"

James paused and then looked at her. For the briefest moment, she saw herself reflected in his glasses.

"...When I figure that out, I'll tell you."

***

Soon they came to the bottom of Grand Staircase and continued on into the reception room. By the time he and Lily had arrived, Malfoy was already crowded by a swarm of persons, several of them James had never seen before. All of them were hanging on Malfoy's every word, so the talk must've been about something important. Though it didn't seem important enough for Sirius to get his arse over there and listen, because he and Regulus were not in the crowd and instead were watching the whole thing with identical sneers on their faces.

It must not have been important by Petunia's standards as well. She was nearby, chattering with three other women.

"Probably telling them about 'my' wedding plans," Lily murmured, noticing where his attention was focused. "Only thing she's been able to talk about throughout the entire voyage..."

Standing a bit further away from Petunia were Lacerta and Tom Riddle. Lacerta's arm was looped through Riddle's and she was observing all the activities in the reception room with her usual Black glare of disdain. Occasionally, she would whisper something to Riddle, who would nod in agreement.

James had never seen Riddle in person before, but he still found in strange that he wasn't including himself in any conversations, especially Malfoy's.

"Is there anyone we're eating dinner with that you think I should know?" he asked, looking around the reception room. Everyone here was so elegant and refined...How could he possibly fit in here without making an arse of himself?

"Well, you know the Black family and Riddle, obviously....Ah, over there." Lily pointed to a couple near a set of ornate doors who were talking with a white haired man in an officer's uniform. "Those are the Astors, the richest passengers on the ship...They also, coincidently, happen to be some Malfoy family acquaintances. John Jacob Astor's wife, Madeline, is just a few years older than me and she's in a...delicate condition, if you know what I mean."

James smirked in amusement as he noticed the round bulge in the front of Mrs. Astor's gown.

"The news caused quite the scandal when it broke. They had to come over to Europe to avoid all the attention," Lily continued, sharing in his amusement. She glanced around the reception room and then gestured to a threesome standing over in the corner. "Over there we have Caledon Hockley, a Pittsburgh steel tycoon. Dreadful man and he's rather interested in you-know-what too."

James took a closer look at Hockley, mentally putting his name on the small list of Americans to keep a watch on. Perhaps he, Remus, and Sirius would have to move Order operations to Pittsburgh instead.

"With him is his fiancée, Rose Dewitt-Bukater and her mother, Ruth. Ruth is even more unpleasant than Petunia, if you can imagine, but Rose hasn't talked much during our past meals together...From what I've gather, she isn't too fond of Cal, but there's not much she can do about it. Marrying him for his money, you see...They think they're hiding it well, but nearly everyone knows the Dewitt-Bukaters are poorer than dirt - "

"As the dirt, I resent that comment," James stated lightly, grinning at her. "And for someone who complains endlessly about these people, you sure seem to love gossiping about them."

"It's... a habit," Lily muttered sheepishly, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Besides, you better get used to it...Within a half and hour, you'll know everything scandalous that's occurred during the day and then we'll move onto some more meaningful conversation such as stocks or where Lucius possibly could've acquired a necklace - " she placed a hand over her necklace dramatically. " - as magnificent as this one."

"Wonderful."

Out of nowhere, Malfoy and Petunia (without their entourage) suddenly appeared in his line of vision. Petunia looked him over again and sniffed, haughtily throwing her nose up in the air.

"We're going to the table," Malfoy stated evenly, not even bothering to grace him with a arrogant glance as he led Petunia past. "Follow, Lily."

Lily rolled her eyes at the back of his head, but they fell into step behind the two others anyway. Malfoy led to them through the ornate doors that the Astors had been standing by earlier and as they entered the dinning saloon, James was suddenly feeling quite nervous.

He had been slightly nervous before, when they had been in the foyer, but now that he had officially stepped into this world, the feeling had increased ten-fold. Bejewelled women, proper men, and perfect etiquette surrounded him from all sides, unconsciously impressing the need to fit in with them onto him.

Orchestra music and the gentle tinkle of expensive china could be heard under the hundreds of conversations quietly taking place at each table and James could barely catch snatches of conversation as they passed. This was nothing like the energetic and rowdy dinners in the third class that he had become used to. How was he ever going to survive tonight without accidentally shouting or getting in a fight over the last dinner roll with someone?

"You'll be fine...Just be yourself," Lily whispered encouragingly, sensing his nervousness. Ahead of them, Malfoy and Petunia veered off the main walkway and stopped at a large table. "They won't be expecting that."

She smiled at him warmly and he felt the anxiety that had been coiling inside of him loosen just a bit. He'd be just fine if Lily kept sending those smiles his way...

The table Malfoy had chosen was set for twelve and most of them were already claimed. Lily - with a reassuring squeeze on his arm - left his side and went to the other side of the table to greet Mrs. Astor.

James awkwardly stood at the head of the table, watching the interactions between the rest of the dinner group carefully before Sirius caught his eye and discreetly made a motion for James to sit in the empty seat beside him. James nearly sighed in relief and made his way over, thankful that Sirius had rescued him once again from embarrassment.

"Potter," Sirius spat acidly, extending a hand in formality as James approached.

"Black," he replied with just as much venom. He took Sirius's hand but dropped it almost instantly. He caught a gleam of amusement in his friend's eye and his nervousness faded just a bit more.

Lily was right. He may've needed to look like these people, but there was no need to act them. He would enjoy himself more as James the Steerage Rat than James the Snooty First Class Passenger anyway...

"Pardon me, but I don't believe I've ever met you before," a cool, crisp voice suddenly exclaimed from behind. "What's your name?"

James noticed Sirius's warning glance just as he was turning around. Behind him was none other than Tom Riddle.

Riddle was simply staring at him curiously, but James immediately saw what was so dangerous about him. Riddle was a tall and handsome man, almost giving the impression of friendly, father-like figure, but his eyes the kind that gave you an ill feeling if you stared into them too long. He had an aura of confidence and power that was far more alluring than the other first class men and could catch an unsuspecting person off guard. He could easily be a likeable man if James didn't already know what lurked beneath the surface.

"James Potter," he answered, sticking out his hand. Riddle took it without hesitation, surprising James.

"Potter, Potter...Oh yes! You're that steerage lad who saved Miss Evans!" Riddle glanced over at Lily and James followed his gaze. She was sitting now, having chosen the chair right across from him, and was talking to the younger Dewitt-Bukater girl. "Good thing as well. Old Lucius would've absolutely been devastated if he'd lost her...She means the world to him."

"Oh...Well, it was nothing really," James murmured modestly, a strange, sinking feeling filling him as he watched Lily. As Rose turned away, she glanced at him and smiled. He suddenly couldn't find it in him to return her smile. "I - I was just in the right place at the right time."

"Yes, but it was more than any of us at this table could've done. You're a brave fellow, James Potter."

"Thank you, sir," James replied, well aware that he had just accepted a compliment from Riddle and didn't feel at all guilty about it.

"Please. Call me Tom," Riddle stated, letting go of his hand and giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Riddle gave him on last pat, then turned back around, and hurried over to the other side of the table to help Lacerta into her seat.

James also turned back around and slowly sank down into his chair. Riddle had been nice to him, the very sort of person he was trying to degrade and stomp on. Could Dumbledore have been wrong about Riddle's status in the lot? Surely -

"Don't let him fool you," Sirius muttered, sitting down beside him. James glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "He may not act like it, but he's as evil as Dumbledore says he is."

James looked at Riddle again. He was laughing jovially with that Hockley fellow and nothing about him hinted of any darkness. But as he began walking back over to his seat, James caught his eye and noticed a dark, burning emotion submerged within them that chilled him to the core.

If he wasn't mistaken, that emotion was revulsion.