Betrayal
Not another one shot about how James is simp nation!!!!
He felt taller than usual, strutting beside Lily as they finished their first round together as Head Boy and Girl. It was Lily’s turn to set the schedule, and to his surprise she had paired them together not once but twice this week.
When he had asked why she paired them together twice she played it off as a strategic decision. “I want to set an example. I want all those Death-Eaters-in-training to know that we’re not taking any of their shit this year.” He’d nodded solemnly, trying to keep his face straight. He couldn’t help but hope that she just wanted to spend time with him.
“Alright, let’s check the dungeons one more time, then I think we’re good for the night,” Lily said with conviction. James agreed. He wasn’t about to argue with her, spending time together under any circumstances, even in the depressing dungeons, was his best case scenario.
“You’re quiet tonight,” Lily said, narrowing her eyes at him, “unusually quiet. Most days I can’t get you to shut up for five minutes.”
James laughed. “Ah, Evans,” he placed a hand against his heart as if wounded, “you disappoint me! I’m really a very mature, principled man. You’ll realize that if you keep putting us together for rounds.”
“Hmm” she hummed, “you’re right. Only a mature, principled man could have come up with the brilliant plan to sneak garroting gas to the entire Slytherin quidditch team last week.”
James’ mouth fell open. “How did you know it was me?”
Lily grinned in his direction. “You just told me, idiot,” but she said the word with more affection than she had in the past. It made his heart skip a beat.
“Well, you can’t blame me, can you? Talk about Death-Eaters-in-training.”
Lily was silent for a moment. “No, I suppose I can’t blame you.”
James stopped in his tracks. “Excuse me?” he said in a sing song voice, dramatically lifting his hand to cup his ear as if to enhance his hearing, “do my ears deceive me? Did you just condone rule breaking, Ms. Head Girl?”
“Oh, pipe down,” Lily laughed, “like you said, they deserved it. And to tell you the truth you’ve impressed me tonight. You were on time, completely took the reins with those fourth years who were out of bed by the Astronomy Tower, and I didn’t have to say a word when we caught Benjy and Amelia snogging in that broom cupboard.”
James felt his chest puff out in pride. “Blimey, I think that’s the biggest compliment you’ve ever given me.”
Lily kept her gaze straight ahead as they approached the stairs. “Don’t push your luck, Potter. The shift’s not over.” Still, he couldn’t help but feel as if he were walking on air as they descended into the damp dungeons.
They patrolled the first dungeon corridor for a few minutes, and when they felt satisfied that the coast was clear they moved toward the Slytherin common room. A disgusting scent filled their nostrils as they approached the dormitory. As they turned the corner James heard whispered voices and felt his heart sink.
“Hand me that bucket, will you, Pete?”
“Get it yourself! It’s closer to you anyway.”
“Quit being a brat, this is a team effort!”
“Oh no it’s not, I’m not putting my name on such a juvenile prank.”
“Come on, Moony! This is brilliant! I saw it on a muggle tellyfission show once.”
“Excuse me,” said Lily loudly. All three boys jumped and whirled around. Peter held a bucket full of what smelled like stink sap. Sirius had his wand raised and pointed towards the top of the door frame. Remus raised his hands in front of him as if to say he had nothing to do with the scene before them.
“Really? You really had to choose tonight, when James and I were on duty, to prank the Slytherins?”
Sirius recovered quickly, stowing his wand inside his robes. “Ah, Evans,” he said jovially, “you don’t seriously think we’d prank our dear friends in Slytherin, do you? Why, I just couldn’t live with myself if you thought I was the type to do such a thing.”
“Then why is Pete holding a bucket of stink sap?”
“Because we were were cleaning up a spill!” Remus interjected, pushing Sirius out of the way, “some careless student must have dropped it right in front of the common room, and we decided to clean it for them.”
Lily crossed her arms, but said nothing. Finally she stepped back and looked expectantly at James. “Well?”
James stared at her. “Well what?”
Lily gestured to the guilty party. “You’ve been on a disciplinary roll tonight. Don’t let me get in your way. You’re Head Boy, they are rule breakers, do your worst.”
James laughed uneasily. “Come on, you aren’t serious,”
“Dead serious! Come on, let’s see what you’ve got.” Lily looked stern, but a smile crept at the corners of her mouth. It was incredibly attractive.
Sirius stepped forward, moving to throw an arm around James’ shoulders. “Come on, Evans, James is one of us. He would never-”
“Ten points from Gryffindor!” James blurted out before he could stop himself.
Peter gasped. Remus let out a loud chuckle, then slapped a hand to his mouth to hide his glee.
Sirius gaped at him. “Traitor!”
“Is that all?” Lily smirked, “They could have covered some poor first year in stink sap by mistake, and all they get is 30 points off Gryffindor?”
James rounded on his friends again. “And a night of detention!”
“I called you brother!” Sirius shrieked, clutching at his heart at this betrayal. Remus’ shoulders shook with laughter in the background.
“Excellent job. You really are more mature than I thought.” Lily, satisfied, gave the boys one last smug look. “Well gentlemen, I hope you’ll think twice about rule breaking now that there’s a new sheriff in town. I think that’ll do for tonight’s rounds, eh Potter? Ta boys!” And with that, she turned on her heel and marched back up the corridor.
James felt dazed as he watched her walk away. She had said he did an excellent job. That he was more mature than she thought. That she had a deep burning passion for him - no, that had been his imagination. Beaming, James turned to share his victory with his friends.
Instead, Sirius smacked him across the head. “Git! You sold us out!”
James raised his hands in surrender. “Oh come on! She would have given you detention anyway! Think of this as a favor, you guys just made me look great in front of her.”
“Oh, yes,” said Peter sarcastically, “that really takes away the sting of your treachery.”
James rounded on Remus. “Moony! You’re a prefect! You know I had no choice, right?”
Remus considered him for a moment, still trying to hide the smile that betrayed his utter delight with the situation.
“Well… all I can say, mate, is that Lily has got you completely wrapped around her wand.” And he burst into laughter.
The smile slid from James’ face. No. It couldn’t be…
Sirius started to laugh too. “Blimey, I didn’t think I’d ever see it. James Potter, a narc.”
“I am NOT a narc!” James yelled, lunging at Sirius, who gracefully stepped out of his reach, “I knew exactly what I was doing.”
“I’m sure you did, but you’re one hundred percent whipped, my friend.”
Peter laughed now too, and soon all three boys were doubled over, howling in laughter at their friend’s predicament. James could only stand in silently, arms crossed defiantly across his chest, and wait for his friends to regain control over themselves.
Finally, when their laughter subsided into badly-supressed giggles, James spoke. “Alright, say I am ‘whipped,’ what do you say lads? Do you think I have a shot with her?”
His friends stared at him for a moment, shared a bemused look, then pushed past James towards the stairs out of the dungeons.
“Oi! Wait up! Do I have a shot or not?”
