The Marauder's Tale [MOONY, WORMTAIL, PADFOOT, & PRONGS]

LIV. N.E.W.T.s

“Lily?”

Lily looked straight into the flames in the fireplace, not even acknowledging that James stood next to her. He sighed, and ran his hand through his hair.

“Lil, come on. You have to talk to me sometime. We have patrol duty in about thirty seconds.”

Lily stood up, and looked at him. “That doesn’t mean we have to talk while we walk,” she said coldly.

James sighed. This could be a long patrol.

Sirius, Remus, and Peter waved to him as they walked up the stairs to the dormitory. For all that they had said about being sober, they still couldn’t quite walk a straight line. James grinned. He hoped that he was walking a bit straighter than they were. Lily would not be impressed to learn that he had been out drinking.

They walked silently around the castle. For all that he wanted to make up with her, James was a bit afraid of Lily’s temper. Besides that, he didn’t really know how to apologize to her. As they walked the silent corridors, he composed a speech in his mind. He had to be ready. He was going to deliver it once they got back to the prefects’ lounge.

At last, their patrol time ended. They returned to the prefects’ lounge, and Lily began writing their report. James waited, shifting uncomfortably. He still didn’t know what he was going to say. He had a vague idea of the points that he wanted to make, but he didn’t have a clue how to present it.

Lily finished writing, and returned the report and the quill she had used to the appropriate places. She turned to look at James, and broke the silence she had maintained since they had spoken in the common room.

“I’m going back to Gryffindor Tower,” she said. “You take your time, and do whatever it is you need to do. I don’t need you to walk me back. I can take care of myself.”

Her words cut at James, as she had known they would. The most important thing to him was taking care of her. Anger flashed through him. He didn’t want to apologize. She didn’t deserve it if she was going to say things like that.

Then a mental picture of her laughing as he tickled her ran through his mind. Peter’s words rang in his head – humble yourself. He had to be humble enough to tell Lily that he was sorry, or they would live in this constant anger forever. They’d never have fun together again.

“Lily, wait,” he said.

She stopped with her hand on the doorknob, but didn’t turn around. “Yes?”

“We need to talk about this,” he said desperately.

Lily slowly turned around to face him. “All right,” she said. “Let’s talk.”

“Look,” James said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I did. I know that these tests are important to you, and I know how seriously you take them. This whole thing is very important to you, and I made light of it. I’m sorry, and I’ll try not to act that way again.”

“The tests are important to me?” she repeated.

“Yeah,” he said.

Her eyes snapped with anger. “Is that what you think this is all about?”

“Isn’t it?” James asked, his face betraying his confusion. “I thought you were upset because I wasn’t taking the tests as seriously as you.”

“Honestly, Potter!” she exploded.

“What’s wrong with you?” James yelled, his own temper surfacing. “I said I’m sorry because I am! What more do I have to say to make this right?”