Nah, She Didn't

~ Part 42 ~ You're Missing a Quidditch Match for Homework?! ~

Hound Dog - Elvis Presley

-Lily POV-

The remainder of the week had not been awkward, because no one had known that I had seen James's Patronus, and most didn't even know they were matching. But it was all the while quite troubling for me.

I mean, think about it! What if you found out who your soulmate was? What would you do? Would you reach out? Just wait for something to happen? Wait for them to reach out?

And yes, the Marauders knew that we were soulmates, but thankfully, none of them had mentioned it.

And now, here I am, sitting in a comfortable chair and re-reading Wuthering Heights in our common room on Saturday morning. It was a quidditch day, but I wasn't going. Yes, I really do love quidditch, but I had to be here to add something to the Veritaserum. It takes about a month to brew, and today around 2:00 pm I had to add bat dung.

James comes skipping down the stairs, bubbly and excited for the game today. It was Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, and he was probably ready to kick some serpent arse.

"Hey Lils! Are you ready for today?" James asks excitedly.

"I can't make it to game. I needa add something to the Veritaserum at a certain hour," I answer apologetically, biting my lip.

"What?!" James asks incredulously. "You're missing a quidditch match for homework?"

"Um... I guess so... and Marlene said she'd keep me company," I say.

"Oh," James replies with in a less bubbly manner. He paused and then peeled up again. "Well, we're gonna win anyway, so..."

I chuckle. "I'm sure you are. Good luck."

"Okay, then. I'll see you at the celebratory party afterwards," James says, skipping out of the portrait hole.

"Alright."

"Oh-and, uh, Lily?" James asks with a cute uncertain expression. What? I didn't say cute.

"Yeah?"

"Can I have a celebratory party here afterwards?" He asks. I roll my eyes and facepalm, but can't help the smile tugging at my lips.

"Okay," I say. James silently cheers. "But no Firewhisky."

"Awwww, what?" James whines. "Come on! This is Slytherin we're beating! We deserve Firewhiskey if we beat those brats!"

I pause, narrowing my eyes. "Fine. But Sirius can't have any."

"Deal!" James shouts. "Alright, bye!"

"Good luck!"

I blink. Celebratory party afterwards. Uh oh.

A quidditch celebratory party means Firewhiskey and loudness. And we all know how well I've reacted to loudness the past couple of weeks.

I jump out of my chair and race out the portrait hole, bounding down the steps in the opposite direction of where James had turned.

Finally, I burst into the Hospital Wing. "POPP-" I catch myself, and re-state. "I mean, MADAM POMPFREY?"

"What in Merlin's-" I heard Pompfrey mutter, bustling around behind some curtain masking a hospital bed. "Boys, if that's you with some ridiculous fake injury again-"

"Erm, no, Madam Pomfrey, it's me," I say, then realize that doesn't help at all. "Lily Evans."

Pomfrey comes around from behind a white curtain that was around a bed, and inspects me with raised eyebrows and slightly narrowed eyes. "Dear, what is it you need? I'm on quite the tight schedule, here. I've got one student who managed to turn her bottom half into a toad, one who's right leg and arm have been completely flattened, and another who's throat is all plugged up with Bertie Botts!"