James and Lily potter: Fourth Year

Chapter 17:fourth year

Lily smirked. Shows Potter right, taking in class.

"Is there something very amusing, Evans?" snapped Hurst suddenly, stopping his lecture on Confusing Concoctions.

She was startled and ignored the snickering from the Slytherins and James. "Not at all, Professor Hurst," she said innocently.

"Evans, you will be joining Potter, Black, and Lupin in detention tonight."

"What! You—you can't do that!" cried Lily. She had maintained a spotless record so far without an absent, tardy, or detention mark. It was all Potter's fault.

"Indeed, I can, Ms. Evans," said Hurst with a sinister smile. The Slytherins were now positively roaring with delight. Four Gryffindors in one detention! Brilliant Hurst!

Lily was fuming by the end of class and ran to Defence Against the Dark Arts, nearly running down first and second years who were going to Herbology and Transfiguration.

"Sorry," she mumbled, as she knocked down a third year.

"Hey, Lily, wait up!" called Sirius, dragging James and Remus along with him. "Gosh, that girl can run fast—"

"Probably crying that she got her first detention," said James disdainfully. "Perfect Evans."

"That's a bit harsh, James," said Remus, frowning. "I mean, she was just smiling. Is that such a crime?"

"Technically, Remus, it is for Hurst."

Professor Wickham was leafing through the textbook when Lily barged in, took her regular seat, and slammed her bag down on the table. Wickham was surprised.

"Is there something the matter, Lily?"

"Oh, no, Professor," said Lily, not looking up. "Not having a great day, that's all."

"Would you like to talk about it?" asked the young wizard sympathetically.

"No, no, it's all right." Lily still did not look up.

The Marauders took the seats right behind Lily so they could watch her for further breakdowns. But she acted like nothing happened, taking her dutiful notes.

"Are you all right, Lils?" whispered Arabella, when the class got settled.

"I'm fine."

"That was wicked of Hurst to give you your first detention. Shall we prank?"

Lily smiled weakly. "Nah. Leave the git...we'll deal with him on the last week of school."

On hearing the word "prank", the Marauders were distracted from Wickham's lecture on the three Unforgivable, as interesting as they were.

"They're planning something!" said Sirius excitedly. "Oh, if only we knew—"

"We should be taking notes, Sirius," snapped Remus, looking at Wickham with respect in his eyes. "Avada Kedavra is the Killing Curse in which..." He continued to mumble out important things.

"Wickham is so boring," said James, his eyelids drooping. "I mean, he's cool and everything, but his lectures are so soporific."

"They're interesting," said Remus practically, his grey eyes widening at something that Wickham had just said. He started to mumble again. "The Imperious Curse can only be restrained by few wizards and witches, namely Aurors..."

James had started to take notes like Remus as well, but Sirius was not interested at all. He quickly fell asleep a few minutes later, his head crashing into his parchment and quill on the table, his hair a few inches from his gleaming ink bottle.