Then, he added, "If that indeed was what happened? I would like to hear the story from it's beginning."
Lily and James looked at each other, deciding who would go first, so Snape took the opportunity to jump right in. "Potter and his little cohorts set me up! They left a note for me to find, and they led me in the den of a werewolf! Then Potter gets cold feet and chickened out, just like a Potter would, and tries to save me to look like a hero!"
"My patient shouldn't be that upset. Not at all." Poppy gave disapproving looks all around. "I shall doctor him over there, I wish you wouldn't bother him until he is healed."
"That might be best." Professor Figg agreed, nodding. After Snape was taken away, she turned her penetrating look on the two Gryffindors. "I would like to hear your version, Potter."
Dumbledore nodded, implicating that he agreed with this.
"I was in the library and Lily spotted him outside. I immediately went after him, knowing that Remus was there tonight."
"Why?"
"I wouldn't see any person put through what Remus has been through as a werewolf, not even my worst enemy."
"So you didn't lead him out there in any way tonight?"
"No, not at all."
"Is this true, Miss Evans?"
"To my knowledge. James did act very surprised when I spotted Snape walking outside last night."
"Do either of you know what provoked Mr. Snape into going to the Willow tonight?"
"No." Lily and James answered at the same time.
"I have no reason to distrust either of these students, Arabella." Dumbledore said, nodding at them.
"Neither do I."
"Then Miss Evans may go, and Mr. Potter shall stay here to have his wounds attended to before returning to Gryffindor Tower this night."
"I will see how Mr. Snape is fairing." Figg decided, and no more of her was seen that night.
Dumbledore sat by James's bed, and waited for Lily's departure. "Do you know who did this, James?"
"No, sir." James lied, as he knew Sirius would for him.
"I know you do, James, but I won't push you. There was a wrong done tonight, but also a right. I know you demand loyalty above all other things from your friends, and in return, you give the same to them, so for that reason, I will not question you further on this subject."
"Thank you."
"I will trust that you give me no cause to regret this decision."
"No, sir, I won't. I consider you my father more than the man whose name I share, so I would never betray you in any way that I could prevent."
"And I you. Before I embarrass myself, I shall go. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, sir."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~April 21~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The night was never mentioned among the Marauders. The tense look carried by James, and the guilty look on Sirius's face, and the upset expression that Remus had caused Peter to call for a pact: This incident would be dropped, and never be brought up again by one of them, no matter the argument or situation. And so, it was done. It would be something often to come to the back of their minds, but they all refused to voice it.
*~*~*
A rather large and dramatic event occurred on Halloween of that same year, but this was important mainly for Lily. The events preceding that time indicated nothing of the sort would happen, but still they did.
One week before Halloween, Barty located her in the library with James. Surprisingly, he had dropped the subject of James all together, and they avoided possible conflict.
"Lils, I need to talk to you for a couple minutes."
"Sure. Excuse me." Lily had nodded to James and followed Barty to a far corner of the library where they could converse quietly.
"I just wanted to let you know I'm going to be gone for a week. My grandfather died...the one with the Axminister."
"I'm so sorry." Lily reached to hug him, even though he didn't seem particularly devastated.
"Don't be. He was a hard old man, worse than my father. But my mother was fond of him, even though he was her father-in-law, so I'll act sad for her."
"How courageous." She said dryly.
"I’m a Hufflepuff for a reason." Barty laughed, not offended in the least. "I'll see you on Halloween, okay? I better not have to beat Potter away with a tree branch."
"I sincerely doubt you'll have to even ask him to move."
"All the same...Anyway, I've got to go pack now. I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too, of course." They said goodbye with a parting hug and kiss. When she sat down James had a sardonic smirk on his face.
"Did you have to do that in my line of vision?"
"We weren't in your line of vision."
"What do you call that?" James rose from his chair so she could sit down in his perspective.
"I guess you're right, I'm sorry, it wasn't for your benefit."
"No doubt about that one."
"Shut up." Lily rolled up a newspaper and hit him with it, just to be yelled at by Madame Pince. "Why does this always happen?"
"Because you can't behave like a proper young lady in the library." James answered matter-of-factly.
"And I suppose you act like a proper young man."
"Not all the time, but I don't question it when I get in trouble."
"Just read the blasted paper." Lily demanded, knowing she was beat.
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