TO LOVE OR TO HATE - C PAGE 53! IMP!!!!!! - Page 2

CHAPTER 2 – THE WHEELS GO ROUND AND ROUND…

"Oh Lily! I am so sorry!" said Monica hugging her tightly.

"Lily…u are always welcome at my house."

"Mine too…"

"Mine three…"

Alice and Erica also hugged Lily. Lily felt her eyes welling up again but she took in a deep breadth as she knew she must be brave and avenge her parents' death. It was only fair to her parents and to the families who had lost their relatives in this manner. Before she could say anything she heard the compartment door open.

"Hi Alice, Erica, Monica…Evans!" said Sirius nodding his head at each one of them in turn, "Mind if we sit here? Everywhere else is full and I don't want to spend the entire ride sitting with either Bellatrix and Narcissa Black or with gossip queen Rita Skeeter." Sirius had already moved in by the time he had finished. Lily glared at the door knowing very well who would walk in. for Sirius and potter were inseparable. She noticed Monica's eyes light up when she saw Sirius walk in and wondered why. James walked in after him scowling at the back of Sirius' head. His hands flew to his head as he noticed girls sitting inside and grinned attractively at them. Sirius gave him a lopsided grin and sat down near the window. Remus and Peter followed them and politely enquired after the girls.

"Hi Alice! How were the holidays?"

"Fine as usual James!"

"And u Erica?"

"My sister got married so the holidays were a little hectic…"

"Marriage huh? Met any boys?" asked James slyly for he knew what a flirt Erica was.

"Yup! There was this guy named George who was quite handsome…"

"Better than me?" asked James winking at her. Erica just laughed as she knew that James and Sirius loved to flirt, as they knew that they were very handsome and loads of girls were crazy about them. He then turned to Lily who was sitting next to her.

"Evans."

"Potter." There was a tensed silence between the two of them as they sat glaring at each other. Beside them James could hear Sirius and Monica talking.

"I had a lot of fun at James' place…"

"Funny. I would have thought that being one day with Potter would be a torture considering having to listen to his supposed greatness in Quidditch and about his non-existent looks and popularity not to mention 1001 ways to torture the Slytherins by James I-think-I-am-the-best Potter…" said Lily smirking.

"Oh Really? And were your holidays any better than that?" asked James put off. Lily's eyes clouded over. James went on apparently having noticed nothing, "So apparently there were 3 unfortunate people spending… or should I say wasting their time with Lily I-will-not-break-rules-and-will-be-nice-to-my-enemies-and-am -jealous-of-James-Potter Evans?"

"You think I am jealous of you?" shrieked Lily, "For your information mister I would not want to mess with my hair just because I think it looks 'cool'. I would not want to go around hexing people just so that it will impress other people. I would not want to thrust my goal scoring tactics on other people till they want to scream. And most of all I would not want to be insensitive to other people's feelings."

There was a silence in the carriage and Lily realized that she had been screaming. All eyes were on her. James had a dazed look on his face as he remained silent. Lily muttered an apology for shouting and sat down with her arms folded and looking at the floor. James did not say anything and the others thought it was a wise move.

Did she really think all those things of him? True she had said those things so many times before but he had never taken her seriously. He had gotten angry with her when she had said all those things about him. He had thought that she was a goody-goody, who was a teachers pet with a large attitude problem. She had never said it in that tone with that amount of intensity. He saw that the others were looking between him and Lily as if waiting for him to speak. He heard Lily's outburst replay in his mind again. He knew that he was attractive to girls and loved to see them go crazy about him. He was aware that girls would do anything to be paid some attention by James Potter. Except Evans, thought James. He looked at her sitting across him with her red had blowing due to the wind coming in from the train. She actually looks cute, he thought. He felt all eyes on him and looked away from her guiltily. Before he could make up his mind as to what to say, the compartment door burst open and they all looked up [with the exception of Lily] to see a greasy haired, hook nosed Slytherin followed by a gang of fellow-Slytherins.

"All that screaming of course had to be from Evans here." Sneered Snape looking at the back of Lily's downcast head. The Gryffindors scowled at the sight of the others behind him.

"Evans here got a problem?" asked Bellatrix Black in a voice of mock concern.

"Oh Dear Yes! What do I do? I am a mudblood!" replied her sister Narcissa imitating Lily's sweet voice and making it sound so nasty. James jumped up with his hand on his wand and Sirius followed suit. Lily looked up at Narcissa with blazing eyes.

"Say that once more and…" threatened Sirius snarling at her.

"Look who it is Bella… it is our dear cousin, Sirius."

"A disgrace to the name of Black. He might as well been a mudblood."

Monica jumped up behind Sirius glaring at the Slytherins.

"Back off Bella."

"Do not even mention that we are related… it is disgusting to be even standing with you in the same room," Growled Sirius.

"Take your slimy friends and leave Snivellus…" said James in a deep angry voice. Peter was crouching behind Sirius and Remus stood up to avert a fight that looked like it might break out anytime. Snape ignored him and turned to look at Lily who was also standing glowering at the lot.

"The mudblood's muggle parents died right?" scorned Snape loud enough for everyone to hear. James turned around puzzled and saw a flash of hurt flicker across lily's eyes. There was a flash of light and Snape hit the wall of the train and fell unconscious. Bellatrix ran towards him to help him up. Narcissa turned to face James whose black eyes were filled with anger she had never seen there before. She thought it was wise to help Bellatrix get Snape back into their compartment.

Before she turned she said, "You might have won now Potter. But just because we lost the battle does not mean we lost the war. The war will be fought, and will be won… by us." The door slid shut behind her. Sirius looked thoughtfully after her while James turned his gaze on Lily.

"What did Snape mean by that Evans?" He asked her. She looked up and saw the concern in his eyes. She took her seat and the others followed suite. The boys were looking expectantly at her. She sighed and narrated the whole thing for the second time that day.

*~*

"I am sorry Evans."

"Me too," Squeaked Peter.

James cleared his throat. Now he knew why she had got so upset when he mentioned her family. She did not have any.

"Listen Evans…I did not know about this… I … am sorry too…"

"What are you going to do in the holidays?" Asked Remus.

"Dunno…stay at Hogwarts I guess…"

"And for the summer?"

"I might mostly go to Monica's place or Erica's or Alice's. But I don't want to be too much of a burden on them either."

Silence followed this statement as none, not even Lily's best friend Monica, knew what to say. Monica and Lily had known each other even before they came to Hogwarts as they had been studying in the same school and were best friends there too. James found himself feeling sorry for her. Lily looked up and saw him looking at her in a strange way.

"Listen you lot. I don't want anybody feeling sorry for me or taking pity on me. My parents would have wanted me to live a respectable life without mourning and moping around and that is what I am going to do. This is an opportunity for me to get stronger. Don't start treating me like a poor little orphan girl. Alright!"

James understood that Lily meant exactly what she said and actually found himself respecting her for that.