A War of Nerves

CHAPTER 2: Attacks, Attractions, and Ferrets

"I tried ta tell ya," Lily gloated, "I warned ya, told ya repeatedly. But no, Ron Weasley doesnna want ta listed ta the American."

Harry's mouth turned up in a smile at Lily's not so subtle teasing. She had told them...and it was true. She was the best chaser he had ever seen, that included all the professional matches he had ever watched. She moved with such speed and smoothness, it was like she was born to fly.

"Yeah well, we'll make a good team then," Ron said grudgingly.

"Well I think she is three times the chaser you are," Ginny said proudly. "And I think it is great that I get another girl to play Quidditch with, Nat and I were feeling outnumbered."

"I agree on both accounts," a strangely familiar voice sounded from behind them.

"Oh yes, quite so," chimed an almost identical one.

"George! Fred! What on Earth are you doing here," Ginny squealed, running up to them and giving them a big hug.

"Came to watch the practice," Fred said.

"Actually, we are here on a secret mission," George said with a smile.

"Shut up you giant prats, tell us what you are really doing here!" Ron said happily.

Lily wanted so badly to rush up and cover them with hugs and kisses. But she stayed back. They don't know who I am. They have no idea Lily, stay back. Lily watched this conversation with interest, trying to assess the two boys. Do all Europeans have such bad manners? Yes.

"We are actually here on a survey type thing," George said.

"For business you understand, Weasley's Wizard Weezies," Fred put in.

"And what better place to try out new...delectable...candies, than Hogwarts. Dumbledore was quite fascinated with the Lemon Tongue Twisters," George said.

Lily tapped her foot semi-impatiently.

Ginny got the idea and coughed, "I want to introduce the transfer student from Salem's, Lilith Merrins."

"Call me Lily dears," she said with her sweet Southern accent, extending a hand.

"Fred Weasley," George said with a grin.

"George Weasley," said Fred catching the drift.

"That was a horribly put ta'getha' lie," she smiled.

"She's got us on that one," Fred said.

"Damn, I rather like that one too," George joked.

"So what business are y'all in?" she asked.

"Contraceptive devises," George said solemnly.

"And money laundering on the side," Fred said with up most honesty.

Ron blanched and said, "Jokes! They own a practical joke business."

"Ronnikins!"

"You are spoiling our fun!"

Ron rolled his eyes, "It is almost dinner, and I'm starving."

"Yeah," Harry agreed and he threw on a sweater. "Let's go!"

"Miss Merrins," Fred said with mock gentlemanly arm motions, "Please let me escort you to the hall."

"Yes, Miss Merrins," George added, taking the opposite arm than Fred, "You must tell us all about America."

"We are dying to know-"

"-what you Americans do for laughs."

"Ya know," Lily said smiling, feeling more at ease with two of her favorite uncles here, "'f I weren't a Gryffino' I would be extremely creep't out 'bout now."

"That is the general point," George offered.

"Pretty much," Fred added.

They entered the Great Hall, Fred and George on either side of Lily and Harry, Ron, and Ginny talking excitedly about Quidditch behind them."

The meal was served and at first the chickens were rubber, but when you poked it with your fork, it clucked and became a roasted chicken. Most everyone but Slytherins got a kick out of this.

"So Harry," George said, changing the subject. They had chosen their old seats at the Gryffindor table as oppose to the ones offered at the head table for professors and the like. "How is the Quidditch team filling out?"

Harry seemed to consider this for a moment and said, "Well, our beaters sure aren't you..."

The twins nodded with mock sageliness (A/N: I'm pretty sure that isn't a word... but go with the flow people, 'k? Also, I had to make up some people for the next dialogue. Orwell and Henry aren't real, Natalie is real, but she is a fourth year right now, but I made her a sixth, like Ginny.).

"They are a couple of fourth year boys, I'm sure you saw them, Orwell Venns and Henry O'Connell. Yeah, they are pretty good, solid, but nothing too special.

"Then of course we have Ginny."

Ginny blushed.

"Solid as a rock as a keeper. Only let one hundred ten points score in total last year. She is better than Woods.

"Then we have a surprise sixth year, Natalie McDonald. She has the best strategy I've ever seen. Her mental game is top notch, but her physical weakness hurts her. She is very quick, but not too strong, natural on a broom though.

"And Ron, of course, our star last year with a total of four hundred thirty points in one season," Harry said elbowing Ron. "But he sucks, so he is totally off the team now."

Ron punched Harry and Harry continued, "Then we've got Lily and me and that is it."

"Recap time!" Fred yelled.

"Some one should put a dunce cap on him," Ron said. "Seeker: Harry Potter, you know, the Boy Who Lived? Keeper: Gin, of course. Beaters: Orwell Venns and Henry O'Connell. Chasers: Natalie McDonald, Lily Merrins, and me, the Fantastic Ronald 'The King' Weasley!"

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Whatever, just remember to walk sideways through doors now, your head is looking a bit swollen."

"Ooooh! That's gotta hurt!" Lily said. "But if ya get a nickname, I get one too. How does, Lily 'The Bitch Queen' Merrins sound?"

"Perfect," a cold voice said from behind her.

Lily tensed up, "Malfoy."

"Draco 'The Amazing Bouncing Ferret' Malfoy has come to grace us with his god-like presence!" Fred laughed.

"We were on the subject of middle names," George said to Draco, "When you so rudely interrupted us. Now scurry off little ferret, don't come trying to play with the big leaguers until your are a little older."

Lily laughed, "I am dyin' ta know how he got that name!"

"It is a great story-" Harry started.

"One that will be saved for a later time I'm sure," Snape said, sneaking up behind them.

Immediately, his eyes went to Lily's, who returned his stare with a cool, inquisitive one.

"Dumbledore has requested the Weasley twins for their presentation," he continued.

"That is our cue Freddy-boy!"

"Show time!" Fred said in an excited voice.

They practically skipped to the front of the room. The demonstration lasted about an hour. It sent three Slytherins to Madame Pomfrey; they had unexpectedly gotten green scales when they tried Snake Tongue Licorice Whips. Upon trying a faulty batch of Cloudy Cotton Candy, two Hufflepuff third years floated up to the ceiling, both laughing like mad. Then there was of course the thing about Professor Dumbledore's tongue turning yellow and tying itself into a knot turning into a lemon after eating the Lemon Tongue Twisters. But according to Fred and George, the night was a tremendous success.

Eventually, everyone had to shuffle to their dormitories. Fred and George had a short chat with Dumbledore, who was laughing profusely, and then followed Ron up to the Gryffindor Common Room for a short talk.

"And did ya see their faces!" Lily shrieked in laughter.

"All scaly and gross!" Ginny said falling on the couch beside Lily hitting her head. The laughed and began talking in hushed whispers.

"Doesn't Harry look handsome t'night?" Lily asked.

Ginny blushed, "I know what you are trying to do, stop it."

"But-"

"Lil, he'll never see me than anything more than Ron's kid sister. That is how it has always been that is how it will always be."

"It is only the second week 'a school. Yer beautiful, he will notice you. I wish my friend Raja was here, she always knows what ta do," Lily said forlornly.

"Tell me about your school Lily," Ginny said.

"Well, my best friends in the whole world go there with me. Gwen Matson, Katie Matson, Brigid Kells, and Morgan Le Fay Estellan, of course. We've been best friends since we started Salem's. Gwen and Katie are both Fires-"

"That is like a Gryffindor, right?"

"Yes. Raja, that is what we call Morgan, 'cause she can be so stuck up, is a Wind. And then Brigid is a Fire."

Ginny frowned, "I thought you said Morgan is your friend, how is it she is a Wind then, isn't that like a Slytherin?"

"Well," Lily explained, "In Salem's we aren't too into discriminatin' 'gainst otha' houses. We usually have friends from all of them. Though some people have problems with people of otha' houses, they can have problems with people of their own house too."

"That sound better than here," Ginny said sadly.

Lily shrugged, "We are a smaller school. Like in my house, there are only three people."

"In the year?"

"In the school."

Ginny's eyes got wide, "What house are you?"

"Ether. It's the equivalent to all fo' houses combined."

"So why are you a Gryffindor?"

"I guess that was just the dominant trait."

"That is weird, five houses."

"GINNY!" George yelled, charging her.

Ginny jumped and was tackled by Fred and George. Lily leapt deftly off the couch and smiled.

"Ginners! We have to get going."

"Don't go getting in any trouble," George said with a wink.

"Do your house proud..."

"For us," the twins said dramatically.

She kissed them both and they said their goodbyes.

"Bye Ron! And Ronnikins, get a girlfriend!" Fred called out as he stepped out the Fat Lady portrait.

"It was nice meetin' y'all," Lily called after them.

"It's always a pleasure meeting us Fred, what is she talking about?"

"I can't imagine," George said as they clambered out of the portrait.

"Well I've gotta get some studyin' done," Lily said after the twins made their exit.

"She sounds like Hermione," Ron whispered to Harry not too quietly.

"He sounds like a prick," Lily whispered to Ginny in retort. "See y'all in the mornin'!" she called as she walked up the steps to the girls dormitories.

Ginny pulled off her sweatshirt and threw it on a couch, "It is really hot in here," she complained. She sat at the table, starting her scroll for Potions.

"What you working on?" Harry said, flopping down on the seat across from her.

"Scroll for Snape. 'Define the properties of Willywort and Grubfang and compare and contrast their effects,'" she said in a rather good impression of Snape.

Harry laughed lightly and said, "Well I've got a scroll for Astrology. I think I'll be attacked by a wild boar next Thursday. Then I'll get a nasty headache on Friday, and not be able to play against Hufflepuff in the season opener."

Ginny laughed freely, her cheeks getting a rosy color of pink and she said, "Maybe you should have an accident with a Care of Magical Creatures animal, like the new screwts Hagrid's got us working with. He could fry off your hair!"

Has she always been so pretty? Harry wondered silently. Then they got back to work on their respective essays. Occasionally Harry was interrupted by cringing noises from Ginny. He looked up a couple of times, watching as her lips formed the words she was writing. Soon, he wasn't looking at his work at all. Harry was captivated by the way her long auburn hair fell across her eyes, and then how she swept it slowly behind her ear. He watched as she licked her finger, turning the page of her book. It finally came to him when she stretched her arms above her head and sighed, letting Harry catch a glimpse of her impressive cleavage. Ginny had grown up. She was no longer the ten year old that sent love letters to Harry on Valentine's Day or tagged along with him and Ron and Hermione on adventures. She was a woman, with very woman curves and smells and attitudes. He wasn't sure how he missed the whole thing, but somehow he had. And now he wanted nothing more than to touch her. Then he realized that she was talking.

"Harry? Harry? Are you all right?" she said softly.

His lips parted a bit as he tried to say something.

"Maybe you should get some sleep Harry, we've been here for three hours, it is midnight at least. Come on," she said shoving some papers in her bag. She smiled and put a hand out to help him up.

He took it slowly and let her pull him up. When he was standing he looked down on her, still holding her hand. She smiled and said, "Goodnight Harry!"

She turned and gathered her sweatshirt before leaving.

Harry stood there for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. He had thought sexual thoughts about his best friends little sister. Not only that, she was suppose to be like his sister. And somehow, he didn't see it like that anymore. And she probably thinks that you are her big brother's best friend. She probably thinks you are her brother. She doesn't even see me like that, he thought as he walked up the stairs slowly to his room. He went into bed, and didn't sleep.

Lily woke with the sudden urge to go to the lake. While she wasn't a compulsive person, she usually did what her instincts told her too. Besides, her mother had mentioned something about intruders at night. Better safe than sorry. She pulled on a pair of pajama pants, usually preferring to sleep nude, (A/N: Don't make fun of the nude sleepers! I am a nude sleeper! If you have never tried it, you should, it is fun:) and slid on a white undershirt. She grabbed her wand and got her Firebolt III out from under her bed and slipped out the window quietly.

She landed on the sandy shore of the lake, and then swung one leg over so she was facing the lake and levitating close to the ground. Something was going to happen, she knew it.

However after an hour of waiting, she got the feeling that nothing was going to happen. When she was about to leave, she heard voices and did a simple invisibility charm. A person, who was talking to themselves, in dark clothes came up to the lake and threw something into the lake, not too far in the center, but not near the shore either. The dark figure left as quickly as it came and Lily was left with the impression of evilness and hate radiating from the once peaceful lake. She watched the person disappear into the Forbidden Forest.

She became visible again and got off her broom crouching by the water. She hadn't seen what was thrown clearly enough to get an idea of what it did, but she got the distinct feeling that it wasn't a good thing. She considered her choices. Tell Dumbledore, or get the damn thing herself.

"I've always wanted to go on a moonlit swim," she said sighing. She pointed her pale wand at her eyes and said, "Corneluminos!"

Her eyes immediately started glowing and shone brightly on a tower of Hogwarts.

"Fuck!" she cursed, shutting them so no one could see the light. She walked slowly into the water, and when it was up to her neck, pointed her wand at the neck, "Ventaquarius!"

She plunged into the water, inhaling deeply. She got the odd sensation of being compressed on all sides but ignored it, opening her eyes so she could see in front of herself. After searching for what seemed hours, she came upon a black box with odd silver writing on it, "Gotcha!" she said, sending bubbles to the surface.

She swam to the surface and said, "Finite Incatatum!"

Lily clutched the box to her side, and did the breast stroke to shore.

"Have a nice swim Miss Merrins?" a voice said, startling her when she got to shore.

"Luminos!" she said. It was Snape. "Professor," she said, nodding.

He eyed the box speculatively.

"I have no idea. A person came and threw it in the lake. It reeks a' dark magic," she said with distaste.

"Give it here," Snape commanded.

"No," she said with attitude.

"Excuse me?" Snape said in surprise.

"Ya heard me. I didn't see you freezing yo' Slytherin ass off for hours lookin' for a potentially dangerous object in a lake. Fuck off, I'm doin' my job," she said starting to walk away.

"How dare you speak to me like that?" Snape said enraged, heading to cut her off. "Do you know who you are dealing with?"

"I think the question here is, do you know whom you're dealing with?" she retorted.

"Thirty points from Gryffindor for your cheek, now hand it over," Snape growled.

"Right now, I'm not a student. I am a private auror workin' on a private case. So step aside or fight me fo' it."

"You insolent waif of an American! How dare you-"

"How dare you, sir! Now kindly o' unkindly, back off!"

He glared down at her intimidating.

"I've seen betta'," she snorted at his vain attempts to intimidate her.

Snape was literally about to throttle her when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Severus," Dumbledore said kindly, "I'll take it from here."

Snape glared daggers at Lily from behind Dumbledore as Dumbledore continued, "Miss Lily, there is no need to bait Severus. He is just trying to do his job. But you are right, this is your job, and you have free reign to do your job. Now apologize to each other."

Lily glared at him for a moment then stuck her hand out, smiling, and said, "Please excuse my rudeness. Four o'clock in the mornin' isnna the best time for me, haven't had my coffee, ya understand?"

Snape took one look at her hand and stomped off in the other direction.

Lily shrugged and said, "Darn, and I really wanted him to like me too," very sarcastically.

Dumbledore only smiled and said, "Now about that box, may I see it?"

Lily flipped it too him offhandedly, "Sure, I don't know what I would have done with it anyway, I have enough paperweights that I've found in otha' lakes. Have fun Albus."

Then she got on her broom and went off to her room. She crawled into her bed but soon found she was never going to get back to sleep, her hair was too wet. "Fuckin' chriminy! Canna even get a good nights sleep round here."

She rolled out of her four-poster, thankful again she had her own room because she was a transfer student. She walked quietly down the hall and slipped into the bathroom, to take a long bath.

"So, Potions firs' thing in the mornin', eh?" Lily said at the breakfast table that morning.

"You look almost thrilled," Ginny said sarcastically.

"Oh, I'm thrilled chil'. Pass the cream, my coffee is horrid black."

"What do you see in that stuff," Ron said grumpily. It had been four weeks and he still couldn't get used to the disgusting fumes her drink put off.

"Do I criticize yo' eatin' habits Red?"

Ron looked at her with a blank face.

"Don't answer that," she said taking a sip of her coffee and cream.

"Did you get the scrolls done?" Harry asked.

"Yes. That was possibly the driest thing I have ever written," Lily mumbled.

"Who are you to be complaining?" Ginny said, "I struggling to get decent marks in his class and you have perfect marks in all of yours."

"Ah, ah, ah! I by no means get good marks in Arithmacy," Lily corrected.

"Whatever," Harry said, "Just as long as you are ready for our game against Hufflepuff tonight I could care less on what you get in your classes."

Lily put on a straight face and saluted military style, "Yes, sir, Captain, sir!"

Harry rolled his eyes and picked up his book bags, "Off to double potions then?"

Ron stuffed a piece of beacon in him mouth and said, "Why not? I always thought that seeing greasy, git; Slytherins was a marvelous way to start my day."

Lily finished off her coffee and followed after them. She didn't tell them that she had learned all this last year and that was why everything came so easily. She was smart, but she was by no means Hermione Granger. She did admire her aunt very much though. Her aunt and her teacher. Auntie Hermione was the only reason she was as smart as she was now. With out her, she would be lost, and all the magic from this time period would seem like archaic drivel.

Lily entered the dark dungeon of a classroom and sat at an empty table next to Harry and Ron. Things had never gone smoothly after her incident with Snape. In fact, his loathing of her seemed to increase every day. But she didn't exactly make it easy either. It frustrated her that she couldn't get him out of her system. He wasn't really much to look at. His lanky shoulder length hair, his thin lips, beak-like nose, and general aura were unpleasant. But something kept calling her attention to him, like he shouldn't be discarded. She had come to the conclusion that his three best features by far where his startlingly sharp mind, his voice, and his hands, his strong, masculine, and just plain sexy hands. Once she had even caught herself daydreaming that they were caressing her body. She had become so frustrated that she had Transfigured a chair into a punching bag and beaten the shit out of it during Quidditch practice.

Then Snape walked in and the class fell into a hushed silence.

"Today we will be making Dreamless Sleep Potions for Madame Pomfrey. This is a waste of my time. Seeing that you all can be reduced to a bunch of monkeys pressing buttons so easily, I give the task to you. I require thirty pints by the end of the classes. Now pass in your scrolls and get to work," he said as he went to sit behind his desk.

Lily sighed and gathered the ingredients she would need, occasionally looking over at her notes.

(A/N: Okay, I really like this scene...but it isn't mine. I mean, I wrote it, but I stole the idea, kinda, from another person. I don't know your name, or really even the name of your fic. It was the one with the Irish girl with the amazing ability to annoy Draco. Yeah, so if you want recognition, you have to write me. And if you don't want it there, sorry? It kinda is already there...and people have seen it...yeah. Back to the fic!)

"Merrins," a cold voice said from behind her. Immediately Ron and Harry were at her side.

"What do ya want Malfoy?" she asked in a smooth voice, not betraying any emotion.

"I just wanted to wish you good luck tonight," he said sarcastically. Crabbe and Goyle snickered from behind him.

"What are you trying to pull you giant git?" Ron snapped testily, Harry nodded beside him.

"Oh, nothing...just wanted you all to know we were rooting for you," Draco said, smiling an evil little demon smile. (A/N: ::sighs:: I love him;)

Lily shook her head, "Malfoy, Malfoy, Malfoy. I know it is hard, but ya've got ta learn to not take yo' sexual frustrations out on otha' people," her face squished up in mock pity, "I mean, Crabbe and Goyle are doin' the best they can. I bet ya don't even say 'I love you' when yo' done, do ya? Do ya even know their firs' names?"

By now Ron, Harry, and the rest of the Gryffindors were in tears of laughter. Snape flew out of his desk and a dark shadow fell out over the classroom, cutting off the laughter.

"What," drawled his silky voice, "is going on here?"

Draco, still to shocked by the imaginative verbal slap Lily had procured, stood motionless. Lily was the only one not laughing or trying not to so she answered. "My classmates, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were just discussin' the pros an' cons of usin' mornin' dew in Dreamless Sleep Potions. Ya see, Draco seems to think that it will slow down the sleeping process, where as I say it will speed it up. Maybe yo' expert advise is needed," she said snidely.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for your cheek Miss Merrins. Everyone, Get back to work."

Lily smiled on the inside and got back to work.