Jinxes and curses

Chapter 11; The cold winds of January

Lily's POV

For all day, I kept staring at the floor. I noted all the homework to give to Remus. I knew he'd want to do something.

At the end of the day, I felt like I needed to get out. I happened to have overheard that Marlene made the team as a beater. I was very proud of her.

I needed to get some air, and it was simply perfect to match that with seeing her practice for the first time. To my greatest delight, James had made the team as well. As chaser. Of course he had.

I dumped my books on the wet ground. It had been raining the past few days, it was dry now however. I watched the entire training. Well, sort of, because I was mainly reading. I tried, I swear, I just don't like to watch sports. I didn't think any of them would mind, not especially Marlene, the dear.

After the training finished, I greeted Marlene. She was off soon, 'busy'. I wondered what with. I wrapped my scarf tighter 'round my neck. I wasn't persée cold, it was simply a comforting feeling.

I magicked a little spot against the wall dry. I sat down on it. Despite the cold air of January, the sun shone. I enjoyed it. I flicked through my book, not really paying intention to the words in specific.

Suddenly I heard a yelp. I startled and held my wand out. Carefully my eyes glanced over the field. I noticed a broom sticking right up, and the sound came from there. My eyes widened once I noticed it was James. I strotted towards it.

"James?" He was crying in pain. I better hoped he wasn't playing a joke on me. Although it did look very real, and it was difficult to act such expressions. "James!" I pulled at the broom and yanked it aside.

I crouched beside him. He was clamping his ankle. "You good?" I tried. When he kept yelling out, I panicked. I didn't know any healing spells! "James, what's hurting?" I pulled his ankle free from his grasp and he gasped in pain.

"Oh, oh dear god, James, I'm so sorry!" Helplessly I looked around. Did NO ONE care to go outside once in a while? I looked at his ankle. It seemed sprained. I thought I needed to hold it up. I put him down and shoved my books underneath his ankle.

I took his hand in mine and said, "If it hurts, squeeze my hand." I know my dad used to do this for me, and it always helped. After a few minutes he managed to calm down. He looked at me guiltily. I simply assumed it was because he was ashamed.

"Do you think you can stand up?" I asked. He wiped his face with his dirty sleeve and nodded bravely. I took my books from underneath his ankle and yanked them over my shoulder. He starting hopping and I immediately say we weren't going to get anywhere. He had tears in his eyes from the pain.

"I swear I hate you." I put my hand around his waist and with the other I secured his hand around my shoulder. "Why, do you really, Evans?" He smirked. I immediately let go of him. "Looks like you're better." He laughed and then cried, "No no, sorry! Kiddin'."

We retook the position and we -I- started walking towards the castle. Longingly he looked towards the broom. I rolled my eyes and he smiled at me. "Okay hold up, let me just-"

I put him up to the wall so he would have some support. Then I fetched his broom. "You know," he said, "you're really easy convinced."
"You know I can leave you right here, right?"
"Sorry, sorry."

Packed with his broom, my books, and him leaning with almost his entire body- weight on me, we somehow managed to get to the hospital wing. Don't ask me how, I wont be able to answer you.

In there, Madame Pomfrey took over for me and I turned my attention to Remus. I took a crumpled up piece of parchment out, with written on it the homework he needed to attend to. "Thank you, Lily. You know, I was waiting for you really long. Where were you all day?"

"Oh, James owes me."

After the full moon, Remus had a lot to catch up on. We had just started a new spell at charms and history of magic kept piling up. I gave him all of my notes. I asked him wether he'd like to come with me to the library. "To see Marlene and Mary, of course!"

The two girls asked Remus where he'd been, but he managed to avoid the question. They both worked really hard to catch Remus up, and me.

At the end of the day, I was sitting in the common room, putting the finishing touch on an essay for transfiguration. I looked at it well, squinted my eyes, and looked aside me to see Regulus standing there.

He looked guilty. I signaled for him to go on and sit with me. He sat down. He placed his bag next to him. I ignored him and acted as though I was still working so hard on the essay in front of me.

I did find a few errors in the end, but it wasn't nearly enough to keep my cover. I felt Regulus' eyes burn through me, but I decided if he wanted to say something, he'll have to do the talking. I'll listen.

When after about half an hour he still hadn't said anything, I packed up my work. I sat with him for a few more minutes but gave up. It'd been enough.

I got out some hot cocoa and sat by the fire. I couldn't get the energy to do anything productive- not even read. After a short while, Remus came to sit with me.

Marlene and Mary were amazing girls, friends. But they're weren't in my house. Remus was the only I could rely on, I sometimes felt. I lay curled up on a couch. Severus was a few chairs away, talking to another guy. I guessed his name was Mulciber.

I felt myself dozing off. Remus took my head and restricted his book to his left hand. With his right one, he went through my hair. It was not much, but it felt safe. Almost like a big brother.