Barty returned on Halloween, as expected, only Barty didn't return. He wasn't the Barty that Lily knew, he was an entirely different person. Upon his return, it was very obvious things had changed. When he came in the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Lily fully expected him to sit by her at the Gryffindor table for a moment or two to say hi. When that didn't happen, she went to sit next to him, and received a nasty sneer for her efforts.
"How was the funeral?"
"My grandfather died. I thought even a dense Muggle like yourself could figure that one out."
Lily looked at him strangely, and put her hands on the table to propel herself into a standing position.
"Are you going to go to Hogwarts' favorite accident?"
"What has gotten into you, Barty? That's really awful of you to say that sort of stuff about him."
"I suppose you're right...people can't control their birth. You two would deal well together, a bastard and a Mudblood."
"What is wrong?"
"Nothing, everything is right."
"I don't believe it is!"
"I think it's time we parted way, Evans."
"I would say so!" Lily was appalled at his behavior, and even more so at it's abruptness. She commented on it to Millie and Amos, and both politely said they had no idea what was going on, which left her only once choice: Go to the most brutally honest person she knew.
*~*~*
Lily stood outside the seventh year boys' dormitory, waiting for the door to be answered after her knock. Granted, it was against the rules and she didn't normally break rules, but she felt this was a very important situation that required an answer immediately. She was slightly worried, but this was due the sounds coming from inside the room, not the smirks of the other boys as they passed by her to get to their rooms.
The door finally opened, probably about three minutes later, but it was Peter who appeared, looking flushed.
"Is this a bad time?"
"Uhhhh....about as g-g-good as any, I guess."
"Is James here?"
"Yeeaaaahhh."
"Is he busy?"
“Ummm, not, uh, r-really."
"Can I se him, please?"
"Ummm, l-let me a-ask."
"Peter are you okay?"
"N-Yes!" Peter quickly disappeared behind the slightly cracked open door. Lily took this opportunity to take just a little peek inside. She was met with a view of entire black, which ended up being James’s shoulder.
"Like what you see?"
"I decline a comment. Can I ask you a question?"
"You know, I really despise such lead-ins as can I ask you a question and would you do me a favor?"
Lily sighed, wondering why God made such impossible people. "Alright then, I will just jump in."
"Can we do this somewhere else? Somewhere not in front of my dorm, because I'm not sure Hogwarts can handle the thought of it's Golden Boy and Golden Girl sleeping together, and that is what they will think."
"I'm not about to argue." Lily said, immediately working her way down the stairs.
"Of course not. I couldn't even imagine the words Lily Evans and argue in the same sentence."
"Oh shut up!"
"I thought you wanted to ask me a question."
Lily took a deep and hopefully calming breath. "I do." Once they were in the common room, Lily was ready to ask away. "If someone left for a week or so and came back, and was really very mean and cruel to someone he used to like, what would that be a sign of?"
James started backing away. "I am not getting into this. I want no part of your angsty little relationships."
Lily lunged for his arm to keep him running away and safely blocked his exit. "I just want an honest answer, and I assumed you were the only person who either had the guts or lack of politeness to tell me the truth."
"What a way to win me over."
"I'm serious! I just want to know what you think."
"Why do you think I would know."
“Uhhh...I just thought that a...uh...person such as yourself would understand that sort of darkness."
"I am nothinglike him."
"Of course not, you're much nicer than he is being at the moment. I think. But I'm not sure. So why is there a complete change?"
"The Dark Arts."
"What?"
"A change like that is generally caused by a sudden or intensified interest in the Dark Arts. It's been happening a lot recently. He called you names?"
"Uh, yeah."
James nodded as if it were obvious. "Dark Arts. Most likely a follower of Voldemort. You do know who-"
"Yes, I know who he is. Is that what you really think?"
"I have better things to do than make up lies about Junior Crouch."
"But-"
"Hey, you asked, and I gave you what I thought."
"Thank you, James. Thanks." Lily turned away from him, and she heard him walk up the first few stairs, then pause.
"Are you going to be alright?"
"Yes. Fine."
"Okay, then, goodnight."
"Goodnight."
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