𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐑𝐀 | 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬

✧ chapter 12 ✧

1976

Once upstairs Lily slammed into the girl's dorm, startling all the occupants. Mary, who had been fast asleep, sat bolt upright and let out a disconcerted yell claiming she 'wasn't the one that ate all the cinnamon buns'. After a moments silence where the girls processed what Mary had said and tried to figure out what she was on about, Mary flopped back down, disappearing amongst the abundance of pillows littering her bed. Soft snores were heard coming from the masses of bedding moments later.

"Whoa, it's too early for this kind of dramatic entrance. Exit stage left and return in a couple of hours." Aurora mumbled into her pillow, still half asleep. Marlene, who was sitting at one of the vanities under the large window doing her makeup for the day turned around to see who had disrupted her rigorous morning beauty routine.

Without another word, Lily erupted into tears, sliding down the door. This sudden outburst captured both Marlene and Aurora's attention, who immediately leapt up and went to their friend's aid.

"Lily, what happened?" Marlene asked, concern written all over her face.

"James Potter happened. He said some horrible things, and the worst part is I think they're true!" She wailed, sobbing between each word.

"I'll kill him." Marlene seethed, already getting to her feet.

"Marley, no. Not today at least. Lily needs you here. Plus, he's our best chaser and we have a match today. You can kill him after that." Aurora attempted to sooth Marlene, grabbing her hand and pulling her back down to the ground where she was sitting with Lily.

"Start from the beginning, Lily." Aurora suggested, stroking the redhead's hair.

Lily took a moment to compose herself before she began recounting the events from earlier that morning.

"Well, it began really nicely. We were having a civilised conversation and Potter wasn't being a git so I gave him the time of day. He was telling me the amusing story of why he was locked out of the boys' dorms, then he told me Sirius was grumpier than usual because he was out late. And I said that was funny because you were out late too and suggested maybe you were planning something. Then Potter suggested maybe you two were, you know, and I said that was absurd because you weren't like that and then he just flew off the handle and started ranting about me not thinking you were good enough for Sirius and how he must not be good enough for me because no one is good enough for me apparently. Then he said I was worse than the Slytherins because at least they accept purebloods." After she finished recounting the argument, Lily choked out another loud sob and crumpled into Aurora's arms, shaking violently as more sobs continued to wrack her body.

"He didn't." Marlene gasped, unable to comprehend James Potter saying something so hurtful to Lily Evans, his Lily Evans.

"He did!" Lily wailed, curling further into Aurora's motherly embrace.

"I can't believe he brought Sirius and me into it though, it's obvious what this was all about." Aurora stated.

"It is?" Lily questioned, sitting up to face Aurora and rubbing her eyes.

"Is it?" Marlene quizzed, her eyes narrowing.

"Yes, it's clear he took your throwaway comment about me not doing anything with Sirius as a personal attack. He probably thought that you were saying Sirius isn't good enough for me and in turn he isn't good enough for you. He was talking about the two of you the whole time, Lils. We always said he wouldn't wait forever; I think he's reached his breaking point." Aurora explained, realisation dawning on the other girls faces.