Deer to Me

Chapter Sixteen

Irony was a bitch, Lily decided the day after Valentines. For the past 3 years (ever since James had decided that girls were not disgusting), all she had heard was ‘will you date me' and ‘go out with me, Evans' and she loathed him. But now that she had started to fancy him, and expected him to go along with it whole-heartedly, but he'd stayed distant from her.

She had a feeling that it had to do with the fact that he had a Quidditch game to prepare for. Ever since he realized that Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were neck and neck and were playing each other for the Quidditch final, he had thrown himself into his favorite past-time, which, so Lily thought, hadn't gotten that much attention as of late.

So that left her all alone and wondering what the hell he had put into her butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. In all honesty, it was a very good act he put on, and she was very pleased to see that it was, in fact, him that was holding that beautiful white rose in front of her. However, it was still the fact that James Potter had caused her to have a good time twice, and once when he was at school, when there was no other excuse.

Now that James was pretty much gone from her side for a while, she was left at the mercy of the Slytherins. When he walked her to classes and such, they left her alone. But now that he spent every waking moment on the Quidditch pitch, she had no one to keep them away.

The Slytherins, as if spurred on by some invisible force, had decided to make the only Muggle- Born in the Auror training program miserable. She suspected that they had found out more about the program and had direct orders from the Dark Lord himself to stop or at least severely maim whoever they could get their hands on.

She was probably the easiest target (other than she was always alone) simply because she was the only one who didn't fight back. She was the only one who would just dock points and walk away when they teased her. Of course, they never dared touch her as long as any friend of James Potter was around, as they wouldn't blink before cursing their heads off.

She told no one of these attacks, simply because they would think her too weak and not able to take out a few teenagers. Besides, if any one in the class caught wind, they'd recommend that she be taken out, as she didn't have the right ‘stuff' for the class.

One bright and sunny Saturday afternoon in March, Lily decided to see if her old stag friend was out and about. Happily, there he was, as if he'd never left. She put her bag down and walked over to him to pet him.

"Hello," she grinned, running her hand down his long neck. "I thought I'd fancy another visit."

Visit me all you like, darling, James grinned inwardly. He was pleasantly pleased when Lily had been all smiles about his Valentine's Day stunt and he was feeling like he had been neglecting her with all of his Quidditch practices, and he wanted to see if she was still happy about V-Day.

"James has been oddly distant since Valentine's Day," she told him. "I think that he's doing it on purpose. You know that old adage, ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder?' Well, it has."

Well, then, James thought with a mental grin. I suppose I should thank Ravenclaw after I smash them to bits for keeping me ‘absent.'

"And...this is going to sound very silly, but I miss seeing him all the time. I mean, I see him enough during the classes, but Valentine's day was just so....fun."

Yay! James was pleased to see her eyes light up in remembrance.

"Anyways, I didn't come out here to talk about James, even though he just keeps popping up in my mind." She laughed a little bit. "Did you know that he has these boxers with Snitches on them?"

Oh dear, she's talking about my Snitch boxers again?

"I've probably told you about that before," she grinned and shook her head. "It's so weird that once he stops paying attention to me is when I start to fancy him a little bit."

Yes, and that's all according to my...er...very impromptu plan. It actually never occured to James that Lily might be more interested if he just left her alone. But now that he thought about it, the thought did make a lot of sense.

Her face dropped and she sat down on the old rotten log. "But anyways, as much as it pains me to stop talking about James, there is a problem."

What?

"It's those damn Slytherins again," she sighed. "They've started using me for target practice, just because I'm the only Muggle-born."

Fight back, Lily! You know enough curses to blow them into next Tuesday. James was getting quite tired of Lily's ‘I'm-not-worthy' act.

"It's not as if I'm defenseless," she shrugged. "Well, there's a couple of reasons why I don't fight back. The first is obvious, since Murphy's law is always in effect, when I even try to fight back, I'll get points taken away and get detention."

Who's law? James wondered.

"And second of all...I'm afraid that if I start, they'll go after my family."

If you're so worried about your family, then why don't you talk to Dumbledore!? James sighed.

"I just wish I could put a bubble around them and protect them from all harm," Lily said. "And I can just see Bellatrix..." She shivered. "You know, I've got half a mind to think that half of them are already Death Eaters, with the way that they act."

She gave a little laugh. "I wonder if they have an Early Death-Eater program?"

Knowing them, they'd just throw them out there and say ‘Get cursing!' He thought of Sirius' little brother Regulus and cringed.

"Anyways, I just wanted to tell you about my little Slytherin problem, because I know that you understand and won't tell anyone. And I'll keep my eye out for any more pod-people that have replaced James Potter. Or myself."

What are pod-people? James wondered as she walked back up to the school.

Lily was fast at work on the finishing touches for her DADA essay when the door to the Common Room opened and Professor McGonagall came in. Lily looked up and, for the second time in a year, her heart stopped.

"Miss Evans? The headmaster wishes to see you," she said, quietly.

Lily closed her book and stood up mechanically. "No one has died, Miss Evans, you don't have to be so terrified."

Lily let out a breath and glared at McGonagall's back. It was like she enjoyed in the torture of her students or something. Sadist.

"Chocolate Frogs!" McGonagall said, and the gargoyle that they were standing in front of jumped to the side. Lily looked towards McGonagall who nodded towards the open door and then she walked through it into the Headmaster's office.

"Ah, Miss Evans," came the old voice from above. Lily looked up and smiled faintly when Professor Dumbledore made his way down the stairs and sat down in his desk. "Please, have a seat."

She sat down in the chair in front of his desk and folded her hands in her lap nervously.

"If Professor McGonagall did not inform you, your family is fine," he smiled, eyes twinkling. "However, it is because of them that I would like to talk with you."

Lily cast a glance out the window to the Forbidden Forest below and then shook her head. It couldn't have been....?

"A little birdie flew in and told me that you have some concerns about your family's safety." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. Lily rewound to a conversation she had between herself and James Potter on this subject.

"A little birdie by the name of James Potter, huh?" Lily seethed. Dumbledore chuckled.

"Yes, but it was Professor Longbottom informed me of a problem first. Professor Longbottom has informed me that he doesn't think that you are reaching your potential as an Auror. He has spoken with your other teachers and they have told him of what you are capable of. So he had come to me to ask my opinion on the matter. However, it was Mr. Potter who informed me that it was out of concern for your family's safety that you do not do the best that you can."

"Professor, I can explain-" Lily started. Oh, she was going to ring Potter's neck! Dumbledore held up a hand to silence her.

"Miss Evans, you will not be leaving the program any time soon, unless, of course, it is your choice."

He dug in his desk and pulled out a bag. Lily gaped at him as he pulled out a lemon drop and popped it in his mouth.

"Would you like one, Miss Evans? I'm sure that you know what these are."

"N-No thank you," she said, staring at him. "But why do you have a bag of lemon drops?"

"Miss Evans, contrary to what most wizards think, I hold muggle invention in high esteem. Some of the things that come out of that world, far surpass the things that come out of our world."

His eyes twinkled as if telling her something.

"For example, I have never been a fan of Bertie's Every Flavor Jelly Beans, as I came across a vomit-flavored one in my youth. I find that candy, no matter the kind, should be a pleasure to everyone, and not just the inventor. Which is why I stay with my muggle lemon drops, predictable yes, but always satisfying."

"Professor, what should I do about my family?" Lily asked in a small voice. "I'm afraid that they'll become a target if I become too good or put too many people in Azkaban-"

"Miss Evans, there is nothing to be gained from hiding. If we allow the words of our enemy to disparage us from our chosen path, then they have won. Would your family rather you be less than you are or them be safe?"

"Professor, you've never met my sister have you?" Lily asked, dryly. Professor Dumbledore gave a little laugh.

"I, too, and blessed with an unfortunate sibling. My brother Aberforth-" He cleared his throat. "As I was saying, your family would rather you succeed in life than be mediocre because of them. You must ask yourself whether it would be better to be less than your potential or to take a chance, albeit a small one, and help many more families like yourself before they suffer the fate you foresee for your own?"

Lily was silent and then said, "But what can one person do?"

"Sometimes, Miss Evans, one person can make all the difference in the world. If you can save one life, who knows what that life could end up doing?"

"Potter!" Lily cried, walking into the Common Room. James was hunched over a table with Peter, and looked up when his name was called.

"Yes, Lily?" he called back.

"Potter, why did you go to Dumbledore?" she asked, stomping her foot. James stood up and stretched, walking over to her and leaning against the table.

"Because I wanted you to see that nothing is gained from-" The rest of the words died in his throat when Lily threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you," she said. He smiled at returned the hug, savoring in the feel of her in his arms.

"Well, if I'd known that I'd get a free hug out of it, then I'd have done it a long time ago," he chided.

"James, you are incorrigible," Lily laughed, pulling away from him. Peter coughed from the table.

"What, Wormtail? You're interrupting my time with Lily!" James growled. He turned back to her. "So are you going to start putting your full force into your Auror work?"

Lily nodded. "And since you were such a loudmouth, I think you'll be my first victim."

"Anytime, lovely," he grinned.

Lily made sure that he wasn't grinning at the next Auror class that they practiced dueling in. She wanted to show him just how into it she was now. As he limped away, draped around Sirius' shoulder, she couldn't help but see a satisfied grin on his face.