She couldn't find him again, not among the murmuring Hogwarts residents staring avidly at her from their respective tables, their lunch disrupted by her sudden presence in the dias, in front of the teacher's table. More than anything, she wanted to hate James potter, but she simply couldn't. She simply couldn't. But her mind now prevailed with the thoughts of how she can muster enough courage to speak, to repent for her 'mistake'.
Sweat ran down her neck and she opened her mouth to speak, while the crowd waited expectantly; not every day you see the topper, head girl, perfect Lily Evans punished. She swallowed, as the murmuring grew louder. Lily bowed her head. Her eyes became moist again. But as soon as it had started, the murmuring stopped. Lily looked up in surprise, but she did not to see the dumbstruck crowd she had seconds ago, but the back of someone tall obscuring her view. Someone having a shock of untidy, coal-black curls. Lily's jaw dropped. No way.
James, still having his back at her, gently pushed her backward and took her place, facing the crowd.
Lily could only see the teachers, whose faces held a wide range of emotions including slight amusement to the clear gape of professor McGonagall. A slight pause awaited the sudden change of events. Lily could hear James's fast and shallow breaths, but when he started to speak, he sounded happy and slightly embarrassed.
"Hi, umm....fellow witches and wizards. Well, if you are waiting to hear Evans apologise for her grave mistake, here's a plot twist. She - trust me I'm not proud of this - slapped me (a wave of exited whisper) under extreme provocation from me."
His tone became darker "She was in no way guilty of what she did, given that I had threatened her, forced her into going against her wishes. It was completely my fault, therefore, and - I never thought this would come out of my mouth - deserve a slap, a kick and a jam against the wall face first. So Lily Evans..."
His head turned slightly backward before flickering back to the crowd again. "...I apologise to you for my grave mistake and provide you the right to perform the former acts, I daresay"
Without a glance back, he got down to reveal a clapping, amused crowd, their eyes now following James as he hurried to his friends on the corner. Soon, he disappeared into the corridor, followed by a whole lot of Gryffindors who apparently forgot about Lily.
As for her, she stood transfixed, staring at the doorway until she was surrounded by a couple of curious girls, who started pestering her with questions. Finally, she extracted herself from their clutches and dashed to the corridor.
YOU ARE READING
When It Began: jily
Fanfiction"Little did she know she wasn't the only person awake that night. Little she know the hands whose caresses she imagined as her pillows till the previous night was clutching his hair. The way he always did when he tried to stifle his silent sobs."
