𝐋𝐈𝐋𝐘 | 𝐉.𝐅.𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑

𝐈𝐗

IX: THE ENDING OF AN OLD FRIENDSHIP

It had been a few weeks since James and I had reconciled. Everything seemed to be back to normal.

Only one thing worried us.

Our OWLs.

Right now I was forcing Rob to revise his notes, seeing we had our DADA exam later.

He was trying, bless his soul.

"And how do you cast a patronus?" I asked him, lifting my eyes from the parchment.

"Uh.... You think of a strong happy memory and cast it. The incantantion is Expecto Patronum." He answered.

"Good! Now, what are some peculiarities of the patronus?" I praised him.

"That I know. A fully corporeal patronus takes the form of the animal who best represents the wizard or witch. Sometimes, if a person's feelings for the other are strong enough, it may change to match. In some cases, it is unchangeable. Like those of werewolves, who all share the same wolf patronus." He recited without giving so much as a glance to his notes.

"Well done!" I praised him once more.

"Now, can I please tell you this?" He asked me. He seemed nervous.

"Okay. What's up?" I asked, looking towards him.

"Marc has been spreading the rumor that he only dated me just for laughs." He told me, falling to his back.

"What a maniac! Doesn't he have the slightes amount of respect for you?" I was fuming. How dare he?

"I don't know. I even received a weird letter from him asking for forgiveness too." He told me, producing a letter from his bag and handing it to me.

I took it and read it. This boy was crazy. Absolutely mental.

"Tell him you can't forgive him right now." I told Rob, who nodded and quickly wrote down an answer before tucking it away in his bag.

Soon the old bells rang throughout the school, signalling the end of break and the start of classes.

For us, it meant we were going to have an exam to survive.

So we made our way to the Great Hall, where our exams were held.

________

We were currently taking our Defense Against the Dark Arts Owl, the scrubbling of quills on parchment the only thing to be heard I'm the Great Hall.

Eventually we handed in our exams and headed outside.

"So how did you do?" Rob asked me, eyes briefly landing on me.

"As well as I could. How about you?" I answered, looking up at him.

"Maybe I'll be getting my first T ever. Merlin knows how badly I did in DADA this year." He sighed before we saw our favorite Gryffindor quartet. James was the first to see us.

"Hey Lucy! How was your exam?" He asked. The way he was smiling at me gave me butterflies in my stomach.

"Well enough. How about you guys? Especially you, Remus, with that question?" I inquired. Remus immediately knew what I was hinting at and smiled.

"I gave them a very simple answer. 1. He's sitting in my chair. 2. He's wearing my clothes. 3. His name is Remus John Lupin." He answered before we all fell into a fit of giggles.

Suddenly James's eyes landed on Severus Snape, a boy who was Lily's best friend. Both him and Sirius approached him and exchanged some words before levitating the poor boy.

"James! Sirius! Would you leave him alone!" I told them, my own wand out ready to catch Snape should they let him fall.

My words fell into deaf ears before Lily's voice was heard. James tried his luck and got hit with the habitual answer and got the lucky prize of being called a toe rag.

He let Snape down and when Lily went to help him he shrugged her hand away.

"I don't need a mudblood like you to help me." He said with desdain.

Both me and James stuck our wands to his throat, ready to blast him to hell.

I absolutely abhorred that word.

Lily simply lowered our wands with her hand before commenting on Snape's greasy hair, turning on her heel and walking away.

This gave us free rein to curse Snape.

No one deserves to be called a mudblood.

For the remainder of the afternoon we took turns sending Snape flying before eventually going to dinner.

Rob was going to sit with Annie, who was bursting with happiness thanks to Gideon Prewett. They were going to have relationship talk.

I saw Lily and it seemed she had been crying. I decided I'd approach her.

"Lily. Hey." I said, not trying to startle her. I sat down next to her and offered her a smile.

"How are you? After, you know, that?" I asked her, careful to not mention Snape's name.

"Could be better. I'm sure I look like a mess right now." She laughed, her laughter having a sad undertone that gave way how she was truly feeling.

"Nah. Even if you did, it's absolutely understandable. Back when James and I first fought, I cried a lot. It's friendships that we've had for so long that we take them for granted and when they end it leaves us with a gaping void." I told her, remembering my second year.

She nodded and seemed to think over my words.

"Thanks, Lucy. I wish we could've had something like this earlier." She admitted and I nodded along.

"Also, thank you. I was not surprised with James pointing his wand but with you I was. I never thought you'd be willing to risk it like that." She said, green eyes looking at me as if they were deciphering my psyche.

"It's cool, really. I've been called that word before and it just disgusts me someone could stoop that low." I reassured her.

We continued to eat and drink. I found out Lily and I had more in common than I ever thought we had.

_________________

Nice.

This chapter was a bit shorter than usual and for that I apologize.

Fun fact, I had to reread that scene because I forgot what James and Sirius did to Snape before Lily appeared.

Hope you all enjoyed. Only a few more chapters now till the end.

Be ready cause the angst I promised is coming.

Also, check the playlist chapter for the book's Spotify playlist.

See you all next time!