Chapter Twelve: Time Flies

*Both Halloween and Christmas had come and gone. The year was drawing to a close, and with no new major events going on in Hogwarts; the students were going bored out of their minds. The only things left in the year were the final quidditch match- Gryffindor versus Slytherin, naturally- and their OWLS. The game was looked forward to with great anticipation, where as the exams… well, everyone was trying hard to forget them.

Everyone, that was, except for four very studious students. Every night three of them, Lily, James and Ara, would spend half of their free time in the library studying and working away. Occasionally they were joined by Andrea, who would be asking for help on one thing or another.

Both Eva and Kat were officially gone from their ‘group’, and a nasty rumor was circling that it was for their mutual dislike for Lily Evans that Arabella had dumped them. But that was only rumor, just speculation… Since then Arabella hadn’t taken any new ‘trainees’ for the social hierarchy either. Lily and Ara had become close friends sometime after their first Hogsmead day when they found themselves alone in the Gryffindor common room and ended up chatting away while it rained outside. It was that day that they had really solidified their friendship.

>>>)(<<<

“Hey Lil. I haven’t talked to you in a while. What’s going on?”

“Not much. I kind of thought you’d forgotten about me.”

“Lil, you eat with me at meals everyday!”

“We don’t speak…”

“Because we’re busy stuffing our faces with food!” Ara laughed. Lily had to smile at the girl’s infectious good mood. “So what’s going on Lil?”

“Nothing.”

“Tell me about it. And we have the OWLS coming up… I’m not going to do very well this year I’m afraid.”

“You will Ara, I know it.”

“Well, maybe. But it’ll take some serious studying.” Lily paused, as if she were thinking hard about something.

“I’ll help you if you’d like.” She whispered quietly.

“Really? Oh Lil, it would be great to have help! Especially from you! Not only are you smart, but you’re great at explaining things.”

“No…”

“Don’t even think about denying it! You know it’s true.” She watched Lily blush and laughed. In the few weeks she had known her, Lily still hadn’t laughed. James had announced one night it was his goal, that by the end of the year he would make Lily laugh. Unfortunately, he had yet to succeed. At least she smiled more now. Of course, her heavy makeup still hid her true face from people, so not many saw it. That reminded her of something.

“Hey Lil, I was just thinking. You know I still have that makeup in my room from Hogsmead?”

“Oh?” Lily asked, getting slightly jumpy.

“Yeah. I’ll give it to you one of these days, just so you’ll have it in case.”

“You don’t want to make me over?”

“Like Eva and Kat tried to force you to that one night I went out with Fletcher?”

“Well.”

“I’m not them Lil. I wouldn’t ever do that. You know that, right?” Ara looked almost hurt that Lily didn’t believe her, and Lily felt slightly guilty.

“Of course I know that Ara.” She whispered. Ara put on a happier expression.

“Say Lil? Will you tell me why you think you’re a freak? Where you got the idea for the dark makeup?”

“No where, really. Just something I picked up is all.”

“But there must be some reason… Lily, you can trust me you know.”

“I know.” Lily gulped. “As much as I tried to deny it, I do trust you. You and James, and even Sirius and Remus a little.”

“So why won’t you tell me?”

“I’m just a freak. My sister Petunia tells me that no matter what I do, I’ll always be a freak. I guess she’s right. I mean, at first I didn’t believe her, but then, one night, something happened to me, and ever since then, I’ve just always known I was a freak. She was right after all. I tried so hard to fight it, to change and not be a freak, but nothing I ever did was good enough, so I finally just decided to start dressing like a freak too. This way I’m a freak who’s recognized as one.”

“Lily! Your own sister made you believe that you’re a freak?”

“No, she just pointed out what was already there.”

“That’s horrible! It’s also completely false! You are not a freak!”

“So you keep saying.” Lily simply humored Ara.

“Oh Lily. Does James know this yet?”

“James?” Lily looked scared. “No… I haven’t told him yet. I don’t want to either.”

“Why not?”

“As much as I trust James… I just… I’m scared. I can’t do it, not yet. Ara, promise me you won’t tell anyone! Please!” Ara looked at her friend. She looked so scared and desperate. But why didn’t she want James to know?

“Alright Lil, I promise not to tell James.”

“Thank you Ara.” Lily smiled a genuine smile.

>>>)(<<<

Since then they had become inseparable. Except by the Marauders. All six of them had built up a friendship, and Arabella and Sirius were beginning to show more of a substantial interest in each other.

The day of the last OWL exam came and went, and soon all that was left in the year was the final quidditch game.

“So Lily, are you going to the last quidditch game of the year?” Remus asked her good naturedly as he joined her in the common room.

“Yes.” She sighed slightly.

“You sound so enthusiastic about it!” Remus yelled and laughed, trying to pump her spirits up.

“Ara is dragging me.” She answered, a slight frown tugging at her lips. She hated crowds. Or she hated being in them anyway. Watching them from afar was fine, but being shoved around and practically run over didn’t much appeal to her.

“Quidditch is fun though. It’s not so bad once you’re sitting down.”

“Ara wants to cheer on Sirius. Says he’s going to make three goals.”

“And James? You going to cheer James on?” He watched as the light blush crept to her pale cheeks.

“What’s this about cheering me on?” James asked as he walked into the room. “Why hello there Lady Lily. You’re looking beautiful as ever.” He winked. She flushed deeper, and both James and Remus laughed.

“I was asking her if she was going to go to the quidditch game. She says Ara thinks Sirius will score three times.”

“And what about me? You don’t think I’ll do well?” James pouted.

“I think you’ll do well.” Lily murmured.

“How well?”

“Very.” She stated with a lack in confidence. James looked at her sideways. “Do you realize that this game is the tie breaker between who wins the house cup? Slytherin or Gryffindor?”

“Yes.” She whispered. The room became quiet.

“Well.” Remus finally stood, sensing the tension. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight James, Lily.”

“Night.” They chorused together.

“So Lily. How’s life?” James asked as he settled into the armchair across from her near the fire.

“Fine.”

“Lily! Why aren’t you speaking to me? Did I do something wrong? Hurt you?” Her eyes flew open.

“No, no. Nothing like that James.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Lily. Why won’t you tell me what’s bothering you then?”

“James…” She trailed off. “I’m not ready.”

“Not ready? Not ready for what? What’s going on?”

“I’m not ready to tell you. I’m sorry. I just can’t do it!” She quickly stood and ran up the stairs to her dorm, leaving James in a daze. What was he to do now? He wanted so much to be Lily’s confidante, the one person she trusted the most, but he couldn’t even get her to have a decent conversation with him. And then when he did, she would get scared, tell him she wasn’t ready, and back off. This was it! Quidditch game tomorrow or no, James needed to talk to someone… a big, burly someone with an affinity for monstrous animals.

Quickly sneaking back up to his room, James grabbed his father’s old invisibility cloak and began his trek. Careful not to disturb Ms. Norris or Flitch the caretaker, he slipped outside the castle walls and into the gardens that held Hagrid’s hut. Knocking furiously on the door, he was relieved when Hagrid answered. Slipping inside, he settled down.

“So Lily’s driving you crazy?”

“Yes, and I don’t know what to do. Hagrid, she’s just so shy… I get the feeling she’s told Arabella Figg more than she’s told me. Why is she so scared of me? What isn’t she ready for? She’s more confusing than one of Professor Binns’ Goblin Wars!”

“And when hasn’t a girl been that confusing?” Hagrid grinned and James frowned. “Hagrid, that isn’t what I meant.”

“I know James. Well, of there’s one girl I myself don’t understand, it’s Lily Evans. She’s a stranger case than you’ll ever find anywhere else.”

“I noticed. But Hagrid, it bothers me that she doesn’t trust me. I’ve been trying to earn her trust all year, but nothing I do seems good enough. I talked to her when no one else would, I worked with her to tutor Andrea White, I went with her to Hogsmead, I even dedicated a prank to her Hagrid. I never dedicate pranks to girls!”

“Lily isn’t your ordinary run of the mill kind of girl James. She isn’t going to fall over at your feet and beg for you to date her.”

“Blast it Hagrid. I don’t want to date her! I just want to be her friend.”

“Well James, if you want the truth, I think you’ve cracked through her walls more than you think. Whenever she comes to visit me nowadays, all she talks about is what Ara said that cheered her up and what James did that made her smile. She talks about you constantly.”

“So she’ll talk about me, but she won’t talk to me. Great. That’s not what I want.”

“Maybe, James, maybe you just need to hold on a little longer. Lily’s been more worried lately about her ruddy sister again. That damned git of a girl.”

“Who Lily?” James asked dumbly.

“No! Her sister of course James! You do know her sister is the reason she thinks she’s a freak, don’t you?”

“No. What’s this?”

“Lily’s the way she is because of her sister’s influence of course. I can’t imagine why you didn’t know that yet.”

“She didn’t tell me.”

“Well now James. You’ve kept a few secrets from her as well… Remus’ secret, your problems with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and a truck load of others.”

“Still, she should have told me. Besides, she never asked me about any of those things.”

“Did you ask her about her things?” James scratched his head.

“Maybe. I asked for sure what was bothering her. But other than that…I forget. But I couldn’t have, otherwise I would have known that. I’m not that bad with my memory. So her sister’s been influencing her? Poor Lily.” James shook his head.

“And she still cares for that girl. I don’t know why, but she does. Lily’s sister is the kind of woman that gives muggles a bad name, but Lily would die for her.”

“Maybe that’s why she doesn’t want to open up to anyone, she doesn’t want to be hurt again. But then why would she trust Ara more than me?”

“Maybe because Ara is a girl James. You’re strange to her, being a boy and all. Give her some time, she’ll come around.”

“I hope so Hagrid.”

“Here now. Isn’t there a game tomorrow?”

“Gryffindor versus Slytherin, last game of the season and deciding factor in who gets the house cup.”

“Then what are you out here for? Come on then Jamesie, go to bed so you can catch that damned snitch tomorrow!” Hagrid boomed. James grinned at the large man.

“Alright then Hagrid. Thanks for the talk. Cheer for me tomorrow!” And James pulled the invisible cloak over his head and left.

>>>)(<<<

“Come on Lil! We won’t get good seats if we don’t leave now!” Ara yelled. Lily hopped out of her dorm room with her hair flowing behind her and one shoe in her hand. The other shoe was half on her foot.

“The match doesn’t start for an hour and a half Ara.” Lily grumbled.

“Yes, but seats go fast, especially for this game. Come on then, let’s get going. You can put your shoe on when we get there.”

“But it’s raining outside! My sock’ll get wet!” Lily protested. But Ara would have none of that.

“No big deal. We’ll perform a drying charm on it. Or did you forget we’re witches?” Ara grabbed Lily’s hand and pulled her along down the corridor and out of their common room.

“Fine.” Lily moaned, knowing there was no way to stop the freight train Figg. The two girls, one incredibly popular and the other incredibly feared, got a multitude of strange looks as they ran down the halls and outside the castle walls to the quidditch field. True to Ara’s guess that seats would already be filling up, people were milling around trying to find places to sit.

“Ara! Lily!” A voice called to them in the light mist of the drizzling spring rain.

“Hi Remus!” Ara called back and waved.

“Peter and I saved you two seats with us up front, come on!” He called.

“Yes!” Ara squealed. “It definitely pays to be friends with the Marauders.” She giggled and Lily smiled.

“Most of the time.” The two girls grinned again and joined Remus and Peter.

“Morning.” Peter greeted them.

“Peter.” The two girls calmly answered together. They shot each other looks, and then cried out. “Jinx!” Ara laughed and Lily smiled.

“What?” Peter asked confused.

“Now neither of them can talk until someone calls their names. It’s a girl thing.” Remus explained laughing good-naturedly. “Now then. What were their names? Cara and Laylay? Or was is Mara and Leelee?”

“I think you mean Ara and Lily.” Peter spoke up. Remus frowned at him, but the two girls smiled.

“Thanks Peter.” Ara quickly blew him off. “As for you, Remus sweetie.” She shot him an evil glare. “How dare you mock us?” And she dove for him just as the announcer began.

“Well, we’ve had quite an exciting quidditch season here at Hogwarts, and today we have our final match, the deciding factor in the house cups, Gryffindor versus Slytherin!” Ara stopped short and Lily helped her to collect herself and take her seat.

“And here comes the no-good, losing team of the Slytherin House!” The announcer, a Hufflepuff by the name of Roberto Robbins, continued his speech. From the Slytherin corner of the stands the team zoomed out on their brooms.

“And now here comes the fabulous team of the Gryffindor House!” In their red and gold colors the Gryffindor team took their side of the field. As they flew past on their brooms, Ara, Remus, and Peter all stood to cheer for them. Ara pinched Lily, who jumped to a standing position and glared at her, then clapped like the rest of the people in their house. They saw Sirius nudge James, then both of them grin and wink. The two players flew directly over to their friends and made crazy faces at them. Remus and Ara laughed, while Peter looked semi-horrified and Lily just took it all in passively. Then they turned around and took their positions, Sirius as a chaser and James as the seeker.

“And the bludgers are up, followed by the snitch, and now the quaffle, let the match begin!” Roberto cheered loudly over the speakers. *

~~~Sorry everyone! I want to get to their seventh year before I describe some dance or something in detail. It’s more fun for me that way, and it leaves you in suspense longer. As for the makeover? The suspense issue again. That’s all it is. I am not looking forward to writing this quidditch game out- I’m no good with the terminology, but oh well. If I screw up, forgive me. Just humor me and go with the flow, you’ll get the general idea! PLEASE REVIEW! Much love, Vixen! ~~~