The Death Note

Early next morning, James stepped into the Heads’ Room on the Seventh floor. He always caught his breath whenever he stepped in. Since both Heads were from Gryffindor, the tapestry clinging on the walls were scarlet and golden in color. There was a long and large table in the middle, surrounded with plush armchairs and wooden benches. Prefects didn’t usually meet here so it was mainly for Lily and James. What James loved the most about the Heads’ Room was the ceiling to floor window, giving them a beautiful view of the whole Hogwarts’ castle, the Black Lake, the Quidditch Pitch in the far corner and the small cluster of houses of Hogsmeade in the distance. There was a large window seat, longer and wider than James’s bed and it was covered with rugs and cushions. Now, the red shades were drawn to keep the strong glare of morning sunshine out but thin beams of gold still penetrated the fabric.

He found Lily working at the middle table, one of the golden beams landed on her red hair and made it sparkle. James smiled.

“Hey, Lily,” he said.

Lily looked up, “Morning, James.” She seemed a bit friendlier, after the snog in the library.

“Are you free today?” James asked.

“I’m okay, I can finish Slughorn’s essay tomorrow and I can do Transfiguration tonight,” Lily replied.

“Brilliant!” James said a little too brightly. “We can go down to Hogsmeade today and I was wondering if you could come with me?” He mentally braced himself for another scathing reply and a volley of insults about the Giant Squid had a better chance.

“Sure,” Lily started to gather her things and walked towards the door.

“What?” James did a double take. “Seriously, Evans?”

“Yes, Potter,” Lily said firmly and stood in front of him. “Now, are we going to have breakfast or not?” James couldn’t believe his luck, he had just successfully asked the girl of his dreams out!

James Potter asked me out again and I said yes! Do I like him? Of course you do! Or else why would you’ve kissed him in the library and said yes? Lily was having a abnormally frustrating argument with herself that she didn’t notice James had laced his fingers with hers. She looked up at him with wide, surprised eyes and she saw him glancing uncertainly down at her. And for some reason, Lily gave him an encouraging smile. Lily felt like freaking out, James is holding my hand? Am I dreaming? And why am I smiling so much? She decided to go with it and held James’s hand tightly.

James suddenly stopped at a portrait or chess players, “Here’s a short cut to the Great Hall. It’ll save loads of time. Is it okay?” Lily nodded. James pulled out his wand, still not letting go of Lily, he tapped the portrait three times and it swung open.

“Is it safe?” Lily wondered cautiously.

“Of course it is! I’ve used it many times,” James replied. “Go on, the portal will close in 30 seconds.”

“Okay,” Lily stepped forward but was blocked by a tall, hulking figure. Lily gasped and pressed against James and Severus Snape appeared out of the gloom.

“Oh look, it’s Head boy and girl holding hands, how cute,” Snivelly’s voice dripped with hatred.

“Why do you care, Snivellus?” James took a step forward until he was so close to Snivelly, their toes were touching.

“Well, I thought Lily here wouldn’t have fallen for such a slimy toerag,” Snivellus sneered.

“He’s not a slimy toerag!” Lily defended James.

Snivelly raised his eyebrows, “Evans! He’s your boyfriend now?”

“Yes, he is! Now back off,” Lily hissed. She felt James staring at her with satisfied eyes.

“Don’t be stupid, Evans. Potter only wants you for snogging and something more,” Snivelly growled. Lily knew exactly what “something more” meant.

“I didn’t go after Lily for two years just for a snog and shag!” James hissed, hazel eyes flashing. “Just leave us alone.”  

“Make me, lovebird,” Snivelly growled.

Lily wanted to hex Snivelly so badly but James pulled her back, “Don’t, he’s not worth it.”

“Ah! Now Potter’s the goody-goody one!” Snape jeered but James and Lily had already walked down the corridor, sharing affectionate looks.

Severus watched the couple laughing together in the Great Hall. He’s heart felt like it was ripped into a million pieces. Lily liked that Potter git. The truth was killing him slowly. Severus knew Potter was after Lily but he had never expected Lily to actually like Potter back.

With tears running down his cheek, Severus sprinted to where he had spent his lonely evenings. He went to the end of the sixth floor corridor and walked around three times. He looked up and a carefully carved door had magically appeared. He pushed opened the door.

It was empty, as always except for a mirror. He stood in front of the mirror and was astonished to see James and Lily together, smiling at each other as he usually saw himself with Lily.

Severus knew what he really wanted now. He wanted Lily to be happy and Lily could never be happy with him. No one, but James Potter.

“I’m sorry, Lily,” he whispered, the tears falling more rapidly now. “I won’t hurt you ever again.”

James and Lily sat at their usual places at the Gryffindor table at breakfast, on both sides of the table, they stole glances at each other and when they’re eyes met, they smiled and looked away. Padfoot had noticed this strange behavior and it was driving him crazy, “Prongs, what have you done?”

“And why did you wake up so early this morning?” Moony added.

“Did you get to ask her out?” Wormtail asked. Then Moony started to annoy James by going, “Oooooh! Did you do you know what? You two could’ve went up to the Heads’ Room and started to…”

“Moony! I’m eating!” Padfoot stabbed at his toast for emphasis. 

Amy was also bombarding Lily with questions, “Why are you smiling at James Potter? Are you guys finally together?” Neither James nor Lily answered and James leaned over to Lily, “Are you embarrassed?”

“Nope, not at all,” Lily replied.

“Oh, look! Now they’re having all hushed conversations!” Moony scowled playfully. They all laughed.

A moment later, the owls came in. Lily recognized hers swooping down.

“Marmalade, what have you brought me?” Lily cooed at her owl, its feathers were all different hues of brown and reflected off the morning sunlight, making seem like it was made of bronze. Lily untied the letter from his foot and he took off. The envelope was made of thick white paper, it had the Ministry of Magic’s seal on it. Lily wondered why did she get anything from the Ministry. She opened it carefully and read it silently.

“Dear Miss Lily Evans,

          It is our deepest regret to inform you that your parents, Mr. and Mrs. Evans were attacked by in their premises in London last night. The Killing Curse produced by Voldemort who is currently attempting to wipe out half-blood wizards killed them. Your sister, fortunately, was at her boyfriend’s home and escaped the attack. She has arranged the funeral herself and has strongly emphasized that you are banned from the funeral.

Condolences,

Cornelius Fudge,

Minister of Magic.

No! Lily screamed in her head. Her parents were gone, her sister didn’t want her around anymore. Lily was alone, she could feel a torrent of tears behind her eyes.

“I’ve got to go somewhere,” she mumbled to her friends and hurried out of the Great Hall.

Once she was in the Heads’ Room on the Seventh floor, she sank into the large window seat. She had never felt so miserable in her life. She read the letter over and over again, her tears staining the paper and smudging the words.

The truth didn’t seem to sink in, it was like a dream. But in dreams, you can’t feel the tears running down your cheek, you can’t feel your heart being torn apart and most importantly, you couldn’t escape it.

Lily rested her head against the large window, she couldn’t bear to look at Hogwarts anymore. She fished her wand out of her pockets and threw it onto the floor, where it landed with a clack. She had been so proud of her wand, so happy to be in Hogwarts but what was the price? Her parents’ lives and her sister’s hatred. Lily loosened her tie and unbuttoned the first two buttons of her blouse, she felt like suffocating now. She unpinned her Head Girl badge and squeezed it tightly in her hand, she would’ve traded her position for her parents’ lives but it was too late. The badge had cut her hand deeply and crimson droplets spattered onto the wooden floor. Watching the blood mixed with her own tears, she imagined what happened that night.

Tuney, putting on her beautiful purple-tiered skirt with ruffles and that matching pink blouse, heading out the front door, saying, “Bye, I won’t be home for dinner.” Mom and Dad waving good-bye as Tuney walked to where her boyfriend was waiting. Then that night, her parents were snuggled together on the couch. Suddenly, someone came crashing in the house and with a flash of green and a yell of “Avada Kadavra!” A scream barely escaped from their mouths and her parents were motionless on the couch, their blank eyes staring into each other’s. Later that night, Tuney had come home, shocked to find the two freezing cold bodies on the couch. No wounds or signs of poison. Those… freaks must’ve killed them! Tuney let out an inhuman cry and fell to her knees, her emotions mixed with grief, anger and loneliness.

Lily couldn’t bear to think of it anymore, she curled up on the window seat, watching the snow fall gently on the Hogwarts castle, wondering what she should do next.  

James shuffled his feet while waiting beside the castle’s front oak doors. It was past one o’ clock already and Lily hadn’t shown up for their first date yet. Maybe she’s testing you, seeing if you have enough patience, James told himself. He hadn’t seen her since she left the Gryffindor table in a hurry, he thought she had to go do something urgent so James decided to wait by the front doors. But he had been waiting for five hours already and was starting to get worried.

“Prongs?” Padfoot had returned from Hogsmeade and saw James waiting by the front doors, exactly how Padfoot had left him. James looked up at Padfoot, he could see a flash of hope when he called James but the flash was quickly replaced by disappointment. It was the only emotion in his hollow eyes. “She hasn’t shown up yet?”

James sighed and nodded, looking disappointedly at the staircase leading towards the front door. Padfoot had never seen James this down before.

“Where is she?” Moony said, trudging up the slope. “Have you checked the library yet? She could’ve gotten lost in a book.” James nodded again, his eyes still fixed on the stone steps.

“Infirmary?” Wormy caught up with them a moment later. James nodded wordlessly again.

“I’m going to go now,” James mumbled and walked slowly up the steps back to his dorm. Padfoot, Moony and Wormy knew better not to follow. James’s feet lead him towards the Heads’ Room on the Seventh floor. He wanted to see the view from above to clear his head for a while and think.

“Phoenixes,” he said to the portrait of Hogwarts’ first Head Boy and Girl. It swung open and he stepped into the room. James noticed blood droplets on the floor, what happened? A Gryffindor tie was strewn on the floor with a bloodstained Head Girl badge and a wand thrown carelessly next to it. Then he saw Lily’s thin figure, curled up on the window seat. An opened letter lay at the end of the window seat. Out of curiosity, James picked it up. It was dog-eared, opened and folded many times and was spattered with droplets of water. James recognized the official seal of the Ministry. James skimmed through the letter. Lily’s parents are dead? James realized, horrified. No wonder she ditched me, she must’ve been up here all day, crying.

He looked fondly at Lily sleeping on the window seat, she wasn’t very peaceful this time. She was twitching violently, tears occasionally trickled down her already tear-stained cheeks and she often let out frightened whimpers.

“Lily, wake up.”

Lily was having nightmares. She was at home but Voldemort, a large black blob of terror, was in the middle of the sitting room, her parents cowering on the couch. But everything was so blurry, like she was standing in the middle of a tornado. She saw Voldemort raise his wand.

“NO!” Lily screamed and fought her way to him. Suddenly, he changed into Snivellus, who glared down at her with icy daggers, “Mudblood.” Lily couldn’t move.

“What are you doing?” Lily yelled again. “Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!” Snivelly was roaring at her parents. Their faces were twisted in pain, “Lily, help!” They moaned her name over and over again.  

“Leave them alone!” Lily screamed. But it was too late. “Avada Kadavra!” The curse sliced through her dream and Lily woke up into another one. She was looking at Tuney, crouching over her parents’ bloody bodies, crying, “Why? Lily! Come back!” Her eyes were filled with desperation and begging her to do something. But Lily was helpless.

Lily backed away, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” She wailed like a young child. “I couldn’t stop any of this!”

Tuney’s face hardened into a mask of anger, “Shut up! You’re such a freak!” Lily could feel tears pouring down her face as she backed away more quickly now and she hit something. She spun around and found herself staring into the hard grey eyes of Snivelly.

“Mudblood,” he spat. And raised his wand again. Lily shut her eyes. She was going to die. A hand suddenly appeared on her shoulder, “Lily, wake up.” James Potter was there. His voice was velvety and powerful, his lovely hazel eyes filled with determination.

“James!” Lily cried. “Don’t! He’ll kill you!” A flash of green blinded her and she saw the light fade from James’s eyes. The split second before he crumpled to the ground, he said softly, “Save me, Lily.”

“Lily, wake up!” The voice cut through the dream and pulled her pack to reality. Lily gasped, terrified, and sat bolt right up. Little did she know, James was bending over her and when she sat up, her head had painfully bopped James’s nose.

“Ack!” James rubbed his nose. “Lily, are you alright?” But Lily wasn’t listening. She flung her arms around James’s neck and pulled him onto the window seat with her. She gazed intently into his hazel eyes, emerald meeting bronze, she had never been so glad to see his hazel eyes, “James, don’t leave me. Ever.” She hugged James tightly, her chin resting on his shoulder, while tears continued to stream from her swollen eyes.  

“Um, what happened?” James asked, confused, his voice muffled as he tried to talk through Lily’s red hair but he still wrapped his muscular arms around Lily’s waist.

Lily pulled away, “They’re gone, James! Gone!” Her voice shot up hysterically. “They’re gone! Tuney doesn’t want me at all!” Then her voice dropped back into a whisper and cast her gaze over the snow covered Hogwarts castle and the Heads’ Room, “It’s not worth it. It wasn’t worth it. I want them back. I want them back…” Lily buried her head into James’s shoulder, shaking her head, making her crimson hair ripple.

“I’m so scared, James,” Lily sobbed into James’s shoulder after a while, her voice muffled but much calmer.

“Shh, it’s okay,” James said, he rested his chin on Lily’s head and closed his solemn eyes. “I don’t know about you, Lily but I know that some things are worth dying for.”