Hate Is A Strong Word (A Jily Fanfic)//FINISHED!

The Whomping Willow

Ugh I had conditioning training, show choir camp, and volleyball practice today. Good thing I wrote this chapter last night. Anyway, I think you'll find this chapter a little more action filled.

James
It had been a few weeks since the first Quidditch match. Lily and James had become the talk of the school. They were loved by practically everyone. Even some of the Slytherins had to admit that they were a gorgeous couple.

The school was running smoothly thanks to their help as well. James' fun attitude helped balance out Lily's strict one. Together, the two of them had begun to coordinate things for the upcoming Christmas Ball.

The Ball would be held in the Great Hall. The Hall would be dressed over in what would appear as fallen snow. Gold and silver bows and ribbon would be strewn everywhere. Musicians were already hired for entertainment.

Lily had told James to wear black dress robes for the occasion, which gave him no clue as to what she was wearing. Every time James walked up to Lily and her friends, they would instantly become silent to make sure he wouldn't hear a word.

James had other matters to attend to besides the Ball, though. November's full moon was the next day. Remus once again looked sickly. People were starting to notice.

When James and Lily were in Potions, she tapped his shoulder gently.

"What's the matter with Remus?" she asked. "He looks ill."

"Probably just has a cold," James said with a wave of his hand.

"It must be an awful cold," she muttered, proving James' suspicion- she didn't believe him. Wonderful.

The next day, Remus looked worse than ever. His skin was so pale that the scars on his face stood out worse than usual. He looked as if he were going to throw up and was thinner than usual.

James knew that it was awful for Remus, but he was also aware of how difficult his own job would be. Keeping a werewolf at bay without harming it was difficult and dangerous. The day passed by quickly because of James' growing fear. It was a fear that he had always managed to push down, though.

McGonagall had called him over after class that day to tell him to just go down to the Whomping Willow without her that night as they usually did. So, when the sun began to set, James and the rest of the Marauders exited the castle to make their way down to the magical tree.

They used James' invisibility cloak and the Marauders Map to make their way easily down to the tree without being spotted.

As the tree came into view, James noticed that there was someone standing in front of it.

"Stop," he said to the others. They couldn't risk the boy seeing what they were doing, even if they were invisible.

"Is that Snape?" Peter asked.

"Dang, he came too early," Sirius muttered.

James whirled on him. "What do you mean too early?"

"I had hoped that he'd get a little scare from Remus, you know," Sirius said coolly. Remus' eyes widened.

"That's uncalled for!" James scolded him. "He could have gotten seriously hurt!"

"He still might," Peter said quietly.

James, who had never had great vision, went a little further down the grounds. Snape stood facing the tree in a stance that suggested he was ready to run. His beady eyes were set on the base of the tree.

"What is he doing?" Sirius asked with a smirk. James almost smirked, too, but Sirius' words from a few weeks ago rang in his head.

"Like we'd tell him that you have to tap the root under the tree to make the tree stop moving."

James gasped. He flung himself from underneath the cloak and began to sprint down the hill as fast as he could.

"SNAPE STOP!" he shouted. Snape turned to see James running towards him. He must have thought James' panic was focused on him finding out the Marauder's secret and not his own safety, for he turned and bolted to the tree's roots.

James, who was a fast sprinter, had already got to the tree. He stopped in horror as one of the Willow's branches came swinging towards Snape.

"Look out!" James called. Snape barely had time to dodge the branch. He lept out of the way, but only by a hair. Fear welled up in Snape's eyes, but he continued to try to make it to the tree's roots. James knew that Snape would never make it.

James bolted forward and ducked under an incoming branch. He saw a huge limb swing for Snape's head, so he leaped forward and tackled him on the spot. The limb just barely missed both of them. James grunted from the impact, and Severus swore from the collision. They didn't have time to hesitate, though, so James pulled Snape to his feet and began to run.

Another branch came and James once again shoved Snape out of the way. Another came straight for him. He had no chance to move. He braced for impact, but none came. Suddenly, the branches had stopped moving. James turned to see a small rat against one of the tree's roots. Peter, he thought.

Peter had always been the one that stopped the trees limbs. Everyone else would have gotten pounded.

James whirled on Severus, making sure that Peter couldn't be seen. Although, Snape would never recognize him as an animagus.

"Are you okay?" James asked Snape, concerned. He nodded, but didn't speak. Now that he knew Severus was okay, he had room to be angry. "Well, what the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

"You tried to kill me!" Snape exclaimed.

"I just saved your life," James said angrily.

"Before that you tried to kill me! You and Black!" he said, outraged.

"We lied! We were joking! You should have known we were. We didn't make you do anything."

"So you admit you lied!"

"Shut up. We're going up to the castle," James said angrily.

"No! Not until I know what you're up to!" Snape cried. He tried to bolt to the opening under the tree, but James cast a leg-locker curse on him with a flick of his wand. Snape fell like a sack of potatoes. James lifted him up with his wand. He jerked his head to tell Sirius and Remus wherever they were to follow Peter to the Shrieking Shack.

James guided Snape up to the hospital wing. Upon entering, Madam Pomfrey gasped.

"He's fine," James told her. He let Snape down on one of the beds before pulling Madam Pomfrey off to the side. He frantically whispered to her the events of the night and what happened to Snape. She was one of the few people who knew about what the Marauders did for Remus.

"Thank you for saving him," she told him. "Even if he doesn't understand."

James nodded and turned to run back down to help his friends.