A/N: Hello all! Little Axe Girl (aka Sophie) here! U KNOW U LOVE ME has
been dragged off unwillingly by her parents to a week-long road trip to
Sadona, so I'm updating for her. I will say on her behalf that she is very
sorry that it's taken so long to update, but her fates are pissed at her
muses for one reason or another, so it's been hard for her to write, but
she has tried- on Friday I helped her for practically 2 hours on just one
conversation. And now, without further ado, chapter 8 of Fading Lily:
"Sirius, please." Lily said, shaking her head, her eyes quickly filling with tears.
"Lily," He tried again, but Lily just shook her head.
"Not now. the other's are waiting." She said, desperately trying to find an excuse. Sirius snuck a glance at the letter then looked down at her. He found such desperation and sadness in her face he couldn't press her for the truth.
"Sure Lils, come here." He moved to her side a slung his arm around her shoulders, smiling sown at the red head as she looked up at him gratefully through teary eyes. He guided her out of the tower and down the flights of stairs to meet their friends by the entrance doors.
The group spent the day wondering around Hogsmeade. Sirius kept an eye on Lily, joking back and forth with James to keep a smile on her face. He tried all day to get a chance to talk with his three friends, maybe they could help. Finally the reached Zonko's when he was hit by an idea. He scooted away from the group, pulling Peter along with him.
"Peter," he whispered "I need to tell you guys something, keep Lily busy. And if you can, stay close enough so you, only you, can hear."
"Sure, Padfoot." Peter said, a slightly confused expression on his face. 'If I can hear' he scoffed. That was one reason he was in the group. He had an undeniable talent for sneaking around silently and eavesdropping. This proved useful to the marauders but for Peter, he knew it was a talent that would insure survival.
Peter walked over to Lily pointing out products on the shelf before them, while recounting the tale of the pranks they had played with them. Lily smiled and laughed slightly, trying to appear happy. She knew Sirius 'and probably the rest of them' would be making sure she wasn't depressed.
While a little bit away Sirius was telling James and Remus what he saw that morning, soft enough to be a private conversation but loud enough to allow Peter's sensitive ears to hear them. Sirius waited for their reactions. Remus looked pensive for a moment before speaking.
"From Lily's sister?" Remus asked slowly.
"Yes." Sirius whispered in reply.
"She has always had trouble with her sister, doesn't like to talk about her much. But from what I have heard she is downright awful to Lily. Maybe more than just a bad case of sibling rivalry."
"There's something more there, isn't there Padfoot?" James said, studying his best friend.
"I think there might be more behind this. You saw her on the train. But she won't talk to us about it." Sirius said, looking at each friend in turn.
"Well, we can't just push her into this; we have to get her to tell us. But we can't crowd her or she will push away from us." Remus said, thinking of his own condition.
"True," James agreed. "And you've known her the longest; maybe you can try to approach her."
"I'll do that. Just, try reach out to her, it's awful thinking you're alone." Remus said, a far off expression on his face.
They cut their conversation short as Peter and Lily approached them, Peter nodded his head slightly, acknowledging that he heard the conversation. James smiled at Lily, walked up to her and slung her arm over her shoulder. Lily tensed for a moment then relaxed Sirius flanking her other side, and Remus next to him. They steered her out of the shop, Peter trailing behind.
'Friends with her? Friends with her! Over my dead body. Better yet, over her dead body. It's the four of us. The four marauders. She will not ruin this for me. I won't let her. They won't let her. We swore loyalty, friendship. They won't betray me, not for her. Not for anyone.' Peter thought as he walked out of the store, staring at their backs. He scowled as he noticed James's arm draped around Lily's shoulders. 'Bloody girl,' he thought before breaking into a run and joining the group at Lily's side.
Lily smiled softly as the marauders joked back and forth. 'This day has certainly turned around' she thought, though the memory of her sister's letter dampened her rising spirits.
James was returning an insult form Sirius when he felt the shoulders under his arm sink a little. He peered at the girl next to him, the traces of her small smile were gone, her eyes briefly glistened with unshed tears. Then seemingly shaking herself from a dream her soft smile returned and her shoulders straightened, though if you looked closely, you could see her eyes had lost the sparkle they had held but a moment ago.
Remus noticed James stopped talking to the obliviously rambling Sirius, and was watching Lily, whose gaze had move dejectedly to her feet. Remus could sense her familiar air of sadness. He used to think it came from not being outgoing and not having many friends, but in the company of the marauders. it was coming from somewhere else.
"Hey James," Remus said aloud, snapping him out of his reverie as Lily's gaze shifted upwards.
"Yeah?" He answered. Remus looked at James then shifted his eyes towards Lily. James nodded his head in thanks.
"Excuse me!" Sirius said in mock offence. "I was speaking."
James and Remus laughed, Peter after a second joined them. Lily looked at them around her and realized how much she missed laughing.
After a long day at Hogsmeade they headed back to the castle for the feast. Lily vaguely noticed Peter was once again missing from their number. The food looked delicious and Lily took a little more than she usually did, which didn't go unnoticed by those concerned for her. The marauders tried desperately to get a laugh from Lily. But each time they either got a slightly larger smile, then other times she seemed depressed with every time they would erupt into laughter.
Sirius was in the middle of telling some far-fetched story of his and James's childhood when Lily caught Severus's eyes across the room. She excused herself from their company, "to get a breath of air". She walked out of the great hall and to the steps in front of the castle, where she sat down, bundling herself in her cloak. Severus after a few minutes joined her, and unbeknownst to either of them Peter hovered quietly by the great hall doors.
"Happy Halloween Severus." Lily said as he walked over and leaned against the raining.
"I have never known a Halloween to be happy, but the idea is appreciated and returned."
Lily smiled softly at him and replied "Cynical as always, Severus."
Severus arched one elegant eyebrow, "Potter would have your head if he heard you calling me by my first name. Let alone simply being in my presence."
"Oh, and Malfoy would be so thrilled with the fact you're having a civil conversation with me, a Mudblood. Let alone simply tolerating my unworthy presence," she shot back mockingly. Remembering, once again, how much she cherished their exchanges with Severus, whose cynical outlook on life seemed fitting compared to the happy-go lucky view the Gryffindors held.
"That, and the fact you're a Gryffindor is certainly not working in your favor, milady." He smirked at her. "And now you're hanging out with Potter and his dimwitted followers. You seemed much better than that, though maybe your have already lost yourself to their foolishly noble hearts."
"I assure you Severus, there is not enough of me left to give to anyone."
"Who said you were in control of any of that?" He glanced at her before turning back to look over the forbidden forest. He stood there for a moment, Lily's gaze drifting to him and then joining his own.
Severus stood straight and turned, walking back up the steps, robes slightly billowing out behind him.
"Lily" he called softly as he reached the door, "be careful." Then without waiting a reply he turned and entered the castle.
"Same to you Severus, same to you." Lily whispered to the night air.
Peter stood in the shadows by the door, leaving only for a moment to hide in the broom closet, skillfully avoiding Snape's finely tuned eyes and ears, then returned to the shadows by the door. He had to get rid of this girl, before she ruined all he had worked for the last few years.
The fog rolled off the lake, covering the lands surrounding the castle, washing over the tracks of a student coming and leaving the lone cabin sitting contently by the edge of the forest. It swirled in the visitor's red hair and clung to her long eyelashes.
Lily Evans had visited the games keeper earlier and hadn't found a reason to go back inside, feeling better out here alone, her heavy heart surrounded by swirling mist. So she just sat on the stone steps next to the castle, watching the patch of lilies by her fade into the fog.
'How strangely fitting.' She thought grimly.
The door opened behind her bathing her in a moment of light. She her a few footsteps before someone sat down beside her. The silence hung over them for a moment before her guest spoke.
"Happy Halloween." She turned to the source of the voice. She cocked her head in an indication of greeting.
""I have never known a Halloween to be happy, but the idea is appreciated and returned." The boy next to her smiled slightly "Why aren't you at the feast?" She questioned.
"I could ask the same of you." They looked at each other for a moment, before small smiles graces both sets of lips.
"Sirius, sent you to check up on me?" Lily stared into the swirling mist in front of her while Peter's gaze had found the lilies, fading into the mist. He smiled slightly "Remus." He said in reply.
Lily nodded before following Peter's gaze to the lilies. Peter studied the lilies until the fog completely engulfed them, rendering them invisible to their admirers. Peter slowly turned his gaze to study Lily. Her large green eyes mesmerized by the flowers.
"Fading Lily?" He whispered, smiling eerily at her as she turned to face him. And without another word got up and walked back to the castle.
Lily stared after him in shock before turning back to the spot where her namesake had disappeared. After a few moments the door opened once again.
"Lily." The werewolf's soft voice called out to her, James and Sirius's faint echoing laughter reached her ears. She turned her dark green eyes to meet his before returning to the hidden lilies. He reached a hand towards her as a light breeze stared to blow, brushing her pale cheek and ruffling Remus's hair. She lifted her hand and placed it in his, slowly standing up. She gave him a small smile and turned back to the flowers. Her heart felt a bit lighter, for with each new breeze the lilies became more visible.
She turned back to Remus, smiled her sad smile at him and before he could respond, she had wrapped her arms around his neck in an embrace. Remus glanced over the top of her head at the lilies, which were coming fuller into view with every passing moment. He smiled at the good omen, and wrapped his arms around his friend. Letting her unwilling tears fall onto his neck as he gently rocked her back and forth.
"Sirius, please." Lily said, shaking her head, her eyes quickly filling with tears.
"Lily," He tried again, but Lily just shook her head.
"Not now. the other's are waiting." She said, desperately trying to find an excuse. Sirius snuck a glance at the letter then looked down at her. He found such desperation and sadness in her face he couldn't press her for the truth.
"Sure Lils, come here." He moved to her side a slung his arm around her shoulders, smiling sown at the red head as she looked up at him gratefully through teary eyes. He guided her out of the tower and down the flights of stairs to meet their friends by the entrance doors.
The group spent the day wondering around Hogsmeade. Sirius kept an eye on Lily, joking back and forth with James to keep a smile on her face. He tried all day to get a chance to talk with his three friends, maybe they could help. Finally the reached Zonko's when he was hit by an idea. He scooted away from the group, pulling Peter along with him.
"Peter," he whispered "I need to tell you guys something, keep Lily busy. And if you can, stay close enough so you, only you, can hear."
"Sure, Padfoot." Peter said, a slightly confused expression on his face. 'If I can hear' he scoffed. That was one reason he was in the group. He had an undeniable talent for sneaking around silently and eavesdropping. This proved useful to the marauders but for Peter, he knew it was a talent that would insure survival.
Peter walked over to Lily pointing out products on the shelf before them, while recounting the tale of the pranks they had played with them. Lily smiled and laughed slightly, trying to appear happy. She knew Sirius 'and probably the rest of them' would be making sure she wasn't depressed.
While a little bit away Sirius was telling James and Remus what he saw that morning, soft enough to be a private conversation but loud enough to allow Peter's sensitive ears to hear them. Sirius waited for their reactions. Remus looked pensive for a moment before speaking.
"From Lily's sister?" Remus asked slowly.
"Yes." Sirius whispered in reply.
"She has always had trouble with her sister, doesn't like to talk about her much. But from what I have heard she is downright awful to Lily. Maybe more than just a bad case of sibling rivalry."
"There's something more there, isn't there Padfoot?" James said, studying his best friend.
"I think there might be more behind this. You saw her on the train. But she won't talk to us about it." Sirius said, looking at each friend in turn.
"Well, we can't just push her into this; we have to get her to tell us. But we can't crowd her or she will push away from us." Remus said, thinking of his own condition.
"True," James agreed. "And you've known her the longest; maybe you can try to approach her."
"I'll do that. Just, try reach out to her, it's awful thinking you're alone." Remus said, a far off expression on his face.
They cut their conversation short as Peter and Lily approached them, Peter nodded his head slightly, acknowledging that he heard the conversation. James smiled at Lily, walked up to her and slung her arm over her shoulder. Lily tensed for a moment then relaxed Sirius flanking her other side, and Remus next to him. They steered her out of the shop, Peter trailing behind.
'Friends with her? Friends with her! Over my dead body. Better yet, over her dead body. It's the four of us. The four marauders. She will not ruin this for me. I won't let her. They won't let her. We swore loyalty, friendship. They won't betray me, not for her. Not for anyone.' Peter thought as he walked out of the store, staring at their backs. He scowled as he noticed James's arm draped around Lily's shoulders. 'Bloody girl,' he thought before breaking into a run and joining the group at Lily's side.
Lily smiled softly as the marauders joked back and forth. 'This day has certainly turned around' she thought, though the memory of her sister's letter dampened her rising spirits.
James was returning an insult form Sirius when he felt the shoulders under his arm sink a little. He peered at the girl next to him, the traces of her small smile were gone, her eyes briefly glistened with unshed tears. Then seemingly shaking herself from a dream her soft smile returned and her shoulders straightened, though if you looked closely, you could see her eyes had lost the sparkle they had held but a moment ago.
Remus noticed James stopped talking to the obliviously rambling Sirius, and was watching Lily, whose gaze had move dejectedly to her feet. Remus could sense her familiar air of sadness. He used to think it came from not being outgoing and not having many friends, but in the company of the marauders. it was coming from somewhere else.
"Hey James," Remus said aloud, snapping him out of his reverie as Lily's gaze shifted upwards.
"Yeah?" He answered. Remus looked at James then shifted his eyes towards Lily. James nodded his head in thanks.
"Excuse me!" Sirius said in mock offence. "I was speaking."
James and Remus laughed, Peter after a second joined them. Lily looked at them around her and realized how much she missed laughing.
After a long day at Hogsmeade they headed back to the castle for the feast. Lily vaguely noticed Peter was once again missing from their number. The food looked delicious and Lily took a little more than she usually did, which didn't go unnoticed by those concerned for her. The marauders tried desperately to get a laugh from Lily. But each time they either got a slightly larger smile, then other times she seemed depressed with every time they would erupt into laughter.
Sirius was in the middle of telling some far-fetched story of his and James's childhood when Lily caught Severus's eyes across the room. She excused herself from their company, "to get a breath of air". She walked out of the great hall and to the steps in front of the castle, where she sat down, bundling herself in her cloak. Severus after a few minutes joined her, and unbeknownst to either of them Peter hovered quietly by the great hall doors.
"Happy Halloween Severus." Lily said as he walked over and leaned against the raining.
"I have never known a Halloween to be happy, but the idea is appreciated and returned."
Lily smiled softly at him and replied "Cynical as always, Severus."
Severus arched one elegant eyebrow, "Potter would have your head if he heard you calling me by my first name. Let alone simply being in my presence."
"Oh, and Malfoy would be so thrilled with the fact you're having a civil conversation with me, a Mudblood. Let alone simply tolerating my unworthy presence," she shot back mockingly. Remembering, once again, how much she cherished their exchanges with Severus, whose cynical outlook on life seemed fitting compared to the happy-go lucky view the Gryffindors held.
"That, and the fact you're a Gryffindor is certainly not working in your favor, milady." He smirked at her. "And now you're hanging out with Potter and his dimwitted followers. You seemed much better than that, though maybe your have already lost yourself to their foolishly noble hearts."
"I assure you Severus, there is not enough of me left to give to anyone."
"Who said you were in control of any of that?" He glanced at her before turning back to look over the forbidden forest. He stood there for a moment, Lily's gaze drifting to him and then joining his own.
Severus stood straight and turned, walking back up the steps, robes slightly billowing out behind him.
"Lily" he called softly as he reached the door, "be careful." Then without waiting a reply he turned and entered the castle.
"Same to you Severus, same to you." Lily whispered to the night air.
Peter stood in the shadows by the door, leaving only for a moment to hide in the broom closet, skillfully avoiding Snape's finely tuned eyes and ears, then returned to the shadows by the door. He had to get rid of this girl, before she ruined all he had worked for the last few years.
The fog rolled off the lake, covering the lands surrounding the castle, washing over the tracks of a student coming and leaving the lone cabin sitting contently by the edge of the forest. It swirled in the visitor's red hair and clung to her long eyelashes.
Lily Evans had visited the games keeper earlier and hadn't found a reason to go back inside, feeling better out here alone, her heavy heart surrounded by swirling mist. So she just sat on the stone steps next to the castle, watching the patch of lilies by her fade into the fog.
'How strangely fitting.' She thought grimly.
The door opened behind her bathing her in a moment of light. She her a few footsteps before someone sat down beside her. The silence hung over them for a moment before her guest spoke.
"Happy Halloween." She turned to the source of the voice. She cocked her head in an indication of greeting.
""I have never known a Halloween to be happy, but the idea is appreciated and returned." The boy next to her smiled slightly "Why aren't you at the feast?" She questioned.
"I could ask the same of you." They looked at each other for a moment, before small smiles graces both sets of lips.
"Sirius, sent you to check up on me?" Lily stared into the swirling mist in front of her while Peter's gaze had found the lilies, fading into the mist. He smiled slightly "Remus." He said in reply.
Lily nodded before following Peter's gaze to the lilies. Peter studied the lilies until the fog completely engulfed them, rendering them invisible to their admirers. Peter slowly turned his gaze to study Lily. Her large green eyes mesmerized by the flowers.
"Fading Lily?" He whispered, smiling eerily at her as she turned to face him. And without another word got up and walked back to the castle.
Lily stared after him in shock before turning back to the spot where her namesake had disappeared. After a few moments the door opened once again.
"Lily." The werewolf's soft voice called out to her, James and Sirius's faint echoing laughter reached her ears. She turned her dark green eyes to meet his before returning to the hidden lilies. He reached a hand towards her as a light breeze stared to blow, brushing her pale cheek and ruffling Remus's hair. She lifted her hand and placed it in his, slowly standing up. She gave him a small smile and turned back to the flowers. Her heart felt a bit lighter, for with each new breeze the lilies became more visible.
She turned back to Remus, smiled her sad smile at him and before he could respond, she had wrapped her arms around his neck in an embrace. Remus glanced over the top of her head at the lilies, which were coming fuller into view with every passing moment. He smiled at the good omen, and wrapped his arms around his friend. Letting her unwilling tears fall onto his neck as he gently rocked her back and forth.