James And Lily Potter: Third year

Chapter 7:Third Year

"He chose that little idiot after all the nice girls he could have chosen," said Lily furiously. "What about Lucieta Samson? She's in Ravenclaw and the nicest girl ever!"

"James is an idiot, Lily, what's said is said," said Arabella practically. "He only goes through the idiotic girls in this school and would never look at someone like poor Lucy twice. I wish he'd look at you like he looks at Andrews, Lily. You're perfect for someone with a big ego like him."

Lily laughed bitterly. "I would never want James Potter to look at me that way. Who'd marry him anyway?"

"Well, you did," admitted Jennifer, trying to look for her wand.

"Who knows, maybe he finally grew up when I married him."

"James Potter, grown up?" exclaimed Violet, surprised. "What madness is this?"

"Good job, Vi!" cried Jennifer in approval. "Let's claim this day as 'Speak-Ill-of-James-Potter' Day!"

Lily snorted. "You guys are such dorks."

Jennifer, Violet, and Arabella linked arms. "Aren't we though? Dorks and proud of it!"

Lily laughed.

"Hey Lily, can I talk to you?" asked James nervously. He knew that Lily was furious with him and was afraid to "liven" her up, as Sirius called it.

"No," said Lily angrily. "Go away Potter."

James grinned. "Oh, touchy. Come on Evans, you can't hide away from me forever."

"Oh, yes I can," said Lily defiantly. She pushed him away and walked off to her next class—Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Hey! Wait! I haven't finished yet!" Lily heard James calling her, but she ignored him completely. Why would she want to talk to him? He had the biggest ego in the world, not to mention having about groups of twenty girls swarming him every day. She was sick of it all.

"Why would I want you to finish?" she asked him coldly, as James caught up with her. "You have the biggest ego out of every male there is in this school, and you take advantage of all the girls who swarm around you. What's your problem?"

"Lily, I—"

"Stay away from me, James Potter. I don't want to be involved with players like you. Who knows, maybe I'll be in one of those traps of yours like all those other girls." She swung her bag over her shoulder and entered the classroom.

"Am I late, Professor?" she asked, ignoring James' feeble protests.

"No, no, Lily, you're right on time," replied Professor Wickham, smiling at his student. "Now, where is Mr. Potter—?"

As if right on cue, James burst into the classroom. "Professor," he gasped. "I—I hope I'm on time."

"Yes, James, right on time. However, I would advise you and Ms. Evans to maybe arrive a little earlier next time." His eyes twinkled as he winked at Lily and James as they sat down.

"Yes, Professor," said Lily politely. James grunted and took his seat beside Sirius, while Lily sat next to Arabella.

"Where were you?" mouthed Arabella, as Lily sat down.

"I'll tell you later," Lily mouthed back.

As class started, Lily took her dutiful notes as usual, while Arabella slept (as usual). Remus was too absorbed in his note taking, and Peter too absorbed in sleeping, to notice Sirius and James' serious (no pun intended) conversation.

"What was that all about?" whispered Sirius, as he took some random notes about goblin rebellions.

James was trying his best to avoid the topic. "Sirius, why are you writing about goblin rebellions?" he asked hastily. "This is a Defense Against the Dark Arts, not the History of Magic class."

"What—oh! Well, you know, all the notes are the same, so you may as well say the same thing," said Sirius complacently. "Now, about you and Lily..."

"She won't listen to me," confessed James. "She totally hates me."

"She's always hated you, Jamie-boy," hissed Sirius, rolling his eyes.

"She's disliked me, not hated me," corrected James.

"You even said it was the same thing." Sirius' voice was dripping with sarcasm and boredom.

"Well, I don't blame her," said Sirius, surprising James. "I mean, you totally ignored her today at breakfast when you guys had your little 'conversation' last night. Then you called her a you-know-what, and I would be upset about it, too."

"I apologized," argued James.

"So? You're not acting like you're sorry, James."

"You sound like you're on her side," said James grumpily.

"That's because I am on her side, Jamie." Sirius' voice was very serious now and very unlike his usual playful tone.

Across the other side of the room, Lily and Arabella were having their own note-passing conversation (Lily had pointedly refused to talk in whispers).

You can't stay mad at James forever, Lily.

Oh yes I can, Bells. I can stay mad at him until the end of the world.

But Lily, if you stay mad at him forever, what about Harry? He'll never be born! And it's his destiny to live in this world.

::sigh:: Yeah, you're right, Bella, but...I just can't forgive him now. Do you know what that idiot called me?

What?

Five words, begins with a 'b'.

He didn't!

He did.

Why, that little...

Sh! Bella, quiet!

Why? This is written on paper, Lily, not said out loud. ::rolls eyes::

Yeah, you're right. Hey, Wickham is looking our way. Let's ditch this paper.

That would be a very good idea.

"I'm dying to know what they've written about," said James eagerly, as the bell rang. He grabbed the piece of parchment that the girls carelessly threw in the wastebasket and read it, dropping it back afterwards.

"What did it say?" asked Sirius curiously, looking from the basket to James' red face.

"Evans told Arabella what I told Lily," said James, shaking with anger. "Why, that little—"

"James, you've been treating Lily horribly," said Remus quietly. "Tomorrow is the first day of the holidays, and I suggest you go apologize to her."

"No way will I spoil my first day of the holidays apologizing to her."

"Come on, four-eyes, give in." They turned around to see Arabella glaring at all four of them.

"You hate me now," said James bluntly.

"No." He turned to look at her, surprised. "You just don't get it yet, James Potter. I know you'll give in to Lily someday, and do whatever she wants, but not yet. You need time, James. Time is what's pushing you and Lily farther than you should be." With that said, she left without another word.