Dangerous Game

They awoke the next morning completely entangled in one another, the sheets a mess. Lily stirred first and she opened her eyes to see James facing her, his mouth slightly open and drooling. Laughing to herself she pulled her leg back from in-between his, and pulled her hair out of her face. She rolled over to look at the time it was seven thirty they had not bothered to set an alarm the night before. Slowly she picked her way out of the sheets, and grabbed her cloak pulling it around her.

She went around the bed, leaning to whisper in his ear, her hand on his back, “time to get up love,” Lily whispered quietly. James stirred a bit, before rolling over on his back rubbing his eyes. “It’s seven thirty,” she said sitting up straight.

James opened his eyes to look up at her, but she was a giant blur without his glasses, clumsily he reached for them before pushing them on his face. “Alright,” he said sitting up finally the blankets still covering his lap.

“I’ll be back in about ten minutes,” she said leaning down to kiss him before disappearing from the room. She changed into her school uniform quickly, brushed out her hair, and applied makeup, and all the other morning necessities before grabbing her school books. Pausing Lily found a spare quill and parchment to write a quick note before returning to James’ room with it in her pocket.

He was just finishing gathering his books when she appeared in the doorway again. She was still frail, but her light aurora was back, and so was the sparkle, and she was smiling. “Ready to go?” James asked her reaching for her hand.

Nodding, Lily followed him out of the room, truth be told she was nervous about seeing Severus and what would happen, but with James she felt safe. When they reached the main room of Gryffindor tower heads were turning and whispers were erupting all over the place like the first time.

Sirius even raised an apprehensive eyebrow, and Remus and Peter began to chatter and prod Sirius for information. Shrugging them off, they all followed Sirius as they all went down to the great hall. Taking their usual seats, Sirius next to James and Remus and Peter across the table. “Morning,” James said smiling from ear to ear as he held Lily’s hand.

“Morning,” Sirius said quietly glaring at Lily. He still had not forgiven her for not helping James that one day.

“We have a lot to tell you,” James said reaching for some eggs and bacon. And with that everything, except the intimate details, came out, and Sirius was shocked when Lily had told him who had saved her. They were interrupted though when a very skittish Slytherin first year tapped Lily on the shoulder.

“Hi,” she said sweetly with a smile, which seemed to calm the poor boy down a bit. The way he was reacting, she thought he should be put in Hufflepuff, but the sorting hat was always right.

“Um…Severus Snape wishes for you to…er…join him,” the boy managaed to get out after pausing to remember everything.

When he was done speaking all six of them, including the brown hair boy looked over at Severus who was glaring at them.

“Well thank you for the message,” Lily said fishing around in her pocket. “Can you give him this for me?”

Nodding the boy took the note, and was off without another peep. She turned back to James who seemed to raise an eyebrow, and the rest of the group was curious as well. “Tell me how he reacts,” Lily said before very calmly adding some salt onto her eggs.

James smirked, wrapping an arm around Lily’s’ waist. Honestly, he had not bothered to ask Lily back out again because there was no need, it was obvious they were deeply in love. She rested her head on his shoulder then there was a loud bang, and then Remus and Sirius burst into laughter. Sirius was so blunt; he just turned around to watch.

Jumping, Lily and James turned their heads too. Severus had obviously read the note, and frustration slammed his fist onto the table, but accidently hit his breakfast plate, so eggs and oatmeal were all over him now. Stifling a laugh Lily turned around, while James and Sirius laughed not attempting to contain it. Peter piped in here and there laughing, but he almost looked unsure about it.

“Wha—what did you say to him?” James asked finally getting his composure back.

“A few things,” Lily said with a smirk. “Basically that he is a pompous ass, that I love you and I will never love him, and a few other choice words,” she said.

James kissed her with a smile on his lips, before turning back to the group to talk. A few seconds later though Remus muttered, “we’ve got company wands out.”

Without thinking twice, James and Remus pulled out their wands, acting normal as well as Sirius and Peter, Lily tensed knowing exactly what Remus meant, but pulled hers out as well. She then felt a sharp tap on her shoulder, slowly she turned around, becoming eye level with a cloak with remnants of egg yolk on it. Looking up she saw Severus’ eyes glaring down at her with such ferocity, she almost cowered a bit. Bellatrix, Mulciber, and two other boys were standing there as well.

“I was expecting you for breakfast,” he said calmly, ignoring the group of boys with their wands in their hands as they rested them on the table.

“Oh, well, I thought that boy over there gave you my note,” Lily said playing it off as if this were a normal conversation.

“He did, but I would still like you to join me,” Severus said his hand grabbing her shoulder in a tight grip.

James shifted in his seat, not liking how Severus was acting, even if there were people around, he knew Severus would not hesitate to do something.

Many people were watching, and it had caught the attention of some teachers as well. Quickly McGonagall rushed over to intercept what was happening. “I expect there is no issue here,” she said in a snip, causing Severus to let go of Lily.

“None at all,” Severus said coolly, staring at the Professor.

“Good, then back to your tables, or out of the hall if you are done with breakfast,” she said, her arms crossing over her chest. When they nodded she turned around to head back to the teachers’ table to finish her own breakfast.

With the nod, the five Slytherins moved to walk off, but not before Severus muttered under his breath that this was not over.

The group watched them leave, and re-pocketed their wands. “He has something else up his sleeve,” Sirius said before taking a big bite of his toast.

“He probably just wants to duel,” James said with a shrug.

Lily stared at James, “just wants to duel? James he is out for the kill! Look at what happened last time!” She said looking to the other three for backup, but it was obvious they were staying out of it.

“Men,” she muttered under her breath, before finishing her breakfast in silence.

James walked Lily to all of her classes; arriving late at some of his own just to be sure she was safe. During his Herbology class with the Slytherins he received a note from a horse faced girl. Without a word, James opened it and read it, shaking his head, almost laughing out loud he handed the note to Sirius. “I told you.”