Lily Evans

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Three months later

     "Most of you have managed to Stun their partners, but I think we should practice that one some more. So this half of the room will start first and the others can watch." The half of DA that were practising Stunning first ran to grab a few pillows whilst the rest of us stepped back into a line against the wall.

     "Stupefy!" I watched Hermione successfully Stun Ron before he could even cast a spell in return. Harry started walking carefully among everyone giving advice, or correcting them. I observed everyone who was practising for ten minutes before Harry called for us to switch over. I was partnered with Luna, who was actually very good at the spell, she Stunned me and then woke me up again a few times before it was my turn. I had never completely Stunned someone. I'd knocked Hermione off her feet at least five times, and caused Ron to kind of faint, but he got right back up again only two seconds later, yet I'd never produced a proper, strong Stunning spell.

     I raised my wand in front of me, in a way that I'd always thought was too much like holding a gun, and raised it again a few inches before bringing it sharply down to the same spot and shouting "Stupefy!". The spell hit Luna squarely in the chest, her eyebrows raised slightly as she was thrown backwards a foot and collapsed on the pillows. I rushed over to her side to see if it had worked, "I can't believe it! I've done it, I stunned her!" Harry came striding over to me past all the shouts of 'Stupefy' and knelt down next to me. "I knew you'd get it, can you do the counter-curse?"

      "I've never tried it, but I may as well give it a shot," I pointed my wand directly above Luna's heart and said "Renervate." Luna blinked slowly and then rose her head. She gracefully rose up again and stepped away from the pillows, "You did it, Lily!" She was smiling, her dirigible plum ears swinging like a metronome. Harry had stood up as well, and he then took my hand and pulled me up next him.

     We were staring at each other, our hands still firmly in each others, when Harry's attention was suddenly averted by a somewhat good looking (depending on your taste) girl called Cho Chang accidentally/ on purpose fired a spell that went past half a metre from Harry's shoulder. Cho came hurrying over to us and Harry immediately dropped my hand and ran it through his hair. "Oh, sorry, I've just got such bad aim!"

     "That's- that's okay, don't worry about it Cho, I'll come and help you." Cho smiled adoringly at Harry and they walked off together. Jealousy and anger bubbled up inside me, I scowled and then walked back to facing Luna directly in front of the pillows again. "Let's try it again then." I snapped, not meaning to, though causing Luna to look slightly frightened when she nodded.

     I stunned her and woke her up again only once in the few minutes we had left before Harry told us to start practising all the others hexes and jinxes we'd learnt over the past few lessons, since this was the last one before the Christmas holidays. At the end of the lesson I tried to stay back as long as possible but there are only so many times you can retie a shoelace before Hermione gets impatient. I watched Harry start talking to Cho with a horribly hollow feeling in my stomach that made me wish I could just feel angry again.

*****

      When Harry finally arrived back in the common room he looked strangely confused. "What kept you?" asked Ron, both he and Hermione were giving him suspicious looks, but Harry did not meet their stares, instead he looked up at me with an expression of obvious guilt. Hermione and Ron noticed it too and were now taking quick glances between the both of us with their eyebrows raised questioningly. What's this got to do with me? I suppose he just wanted me to leave, after all, I'm not a part of the 'Golden Trio'. I tried to keep my expression clear as I rose up from the squishy armchair that I had until now been happily occupying. "Okay, I'll leave." This again came out in an unintended snap." What? No, that's not - "