I'll Take it Shaken, Not Stirred

Chapter 14: Oh Come All Ye Dead

A/N: I heart reviewers! Anyway, this chapter includes stuff for all those little shippy hearts, and for all those dying for me to develop the plot. Hopefully, you'll all enjoy. And be a love and review me, wont you?

History: I didn't think anything good up. I just stole it. Credit to JKR.

Recap: invitations arrive for Slughorn's Christmas Party. James asks Redival; Lily feels weird, is dateless, and conquers the urge to murder some sixth year girls.

Love to reviewers!

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"I've been in love before, and I found out that love was more than just holding hands..." -The Beatles, "If I Fell"

Christmas Eve morning came and passed.

Another layer of snow coated the ground and Lily and her friends spent the majority of the afternoon enjoying it and the childish pleasures it provided. But none of them- with the possible exception of Eden- seemed particularly enthused about the approaching party. And Lily could not for the life of her figure out why this was true of herself.

What was lacking?

Slughorn had promised two surprises explicitly for her, the food was bound to be good, and the room would be full of important witches and wizards. Why was this party different from the numerous "Slug Club" get-togethers she'd gone to over the years? Why dread it so?

Whatever the reason was, the redhead felt odd as she slipped into her dress robes that evening. Her stomach- though it ought to have been satisfied from dinner- felt empty and unsettled; her head- though entirely blank- seemed stuffed with incoherent information that she felt she ought to have understood.

She was apprehensive about the damned party, and there was no other way to interpret it.

"You look good," Eden told her, as she entered the dormitory from the bathroom, adjusting the front of her own newly donned dress robes: red and silver ones.

"Thanks," was the now clothed Lily's only reply. She sat down on Alice's tidily made-up and unoccupied bed to put on her shoes. Eden and she were the only two girls left in the dormitory now, for Alice had run off to meet with Leander ten minutes ago, and Lexi was trying to find her deceased guest- a forgetful ghost who was bound to be somewhere between the third and seventh floors. Rachel was the only other girl who shared the dormitory with them, and she was with her sixth year friends, as they painted each other's nails, or did whatever it was that those particular sixteen-year-olds did.

Lily looked down at her tiny, bare feet. A long faint scar ran along the outer side of the left foot, and the Head Girl traced the mark with her index finger thoughtfully. 'From the forest,' she thought dispassionately. The cuts had long since healed, but one or two of the deeper ones had left reminders of the rocks and sticks she'd trampled shoeless on, though, technically, she could not remember them. At least, not really.

"Blue is a good color on you," Eden informed her, as she too sat down on the bed. She spoke more quietly and less frequently than usual, possibly sensing Lily's odd mood.

"Thanks," Lily repeated. "I thought I'd try something new, y'know. It doesn't clash with my hair, does it?"

"Not at all." The blonde paused as she buckled her own strappy silver shoes. When she straitened up, she looked intently over at Lily. "Are you okay, Red?"