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Much Ado About Nothing	By : goblet Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 2534 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
by The Goblet

Chapter 31

While the LeStrange brothers were being 'examined' (in short: while they were still locked in their cells, trying to ignore the Citizens' Watch eating lunch), and with Severus safely concealed in the Hufflepuff dorms, James awaited Albus' return from his excursion to Hogsmeade to spread rumours of Snape's suicide.

Once Albus returned, James helped him create an appropriate mess at the foot of the Astronomy Tower. When the area looked as though a body had fallen and subsequently been removed, James headed down to the dungeons to see how Lily was faring.

She had felt as though she could no longer stay in Gryffindor Tower after the confrontation earlier that morning, so when Remus and Sirius had snuck down to the kitchens to get some food, James had helped her moved her things into the dungeons.

Walking through the dungeon's halls, James found Lily huddled in a small alcove in the same corridor as the Potions lab. She was hugging her knees to her chest and crying softly.

"Hey," he whispered, sitting down next to Lily and pulling her into his lap. "Have you been crying all day?"

The potions apprentice snivelled and nodded. "Yes, and I'll probably cry for a little longer," she sobbed, crying into James' shirt.

"Please don't cry," James said, wrapping his arms around Lily's slight form. "I hate it when girls cry."

"I want to cry," Lily mumbled. "I need to cry."

"Severus was very much wronged," James whispered, patting her back, trying to comfort his… friend. "I believe that he has done nothing wrong."

"I wish someone would stand up for him," Lily murmured. "He can't defend himself. He needs a friend to stand up to those three… those three… scoundrels!" Lily saw red as she thought of the accusations Remus, Sirius and Regulus had laid against her best friend.

"Is there no way to stand up for him?" asked James gently, trying to calm Lily down.

"A very even way, but no such friend," replied Lily, lifting her head from James' shoulder.

"May a man do it?"

Lily nodded. "It is a man's duty, but not yours."

James smiled and tightened his grip on Lily. Perhaps he should try to take her mind off Severus. "You know, I love nothing in this world as much as I love you. Isn't that strange?"

Lily allowed herself a small smile. "No stranger than the events this morning." Of course the news that James loved her was not a surprise for Lily. She had known all week that he loved her, thanks to her eavesdropping on Severus and Arabella.

"If it was possible for me to say I loved nothing so well as you, then don't believe me, even though I do not lie. I confess nothing, and yet I deny nothing." Lily burrowed into James' shirt once more. "This really is not the time to be talking about this, not after this morning… I am so sorry for Severus," she admitted.

James smiled. "You love me," he teased, trying to keep Lily's thoughts away from Severus' state of affairs. He knew the Headmaster had the situation under control.

Lily blushed crimson. "Don't swear on your words. You may have to eat them."

"Nonsense!" James exclaimed. "I swear that you love me, and I will make those who say that I don't love you eat their own words."

"Won't you have to eat your own words then?" asked Lily, sniffling.

"What, without any tomato sauce? Of course not. I swear: I love you."

"Merlin…" Lily swore; she hadn't expected him to come right out and say it.

"What?" asked James; maybe he shouldn't have blurted that out while she was so upset over Severus.

Lily laughed softly. "I was about to tell you that I love you," she said quietly.

"With all your heart?" James asked, his own heart soaring.

"I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest."

James kissed Lily lightly on the forehead. "What is it that you want me to do to help Snape?" he asked, knowing that Lily may now ask of him, what she hadn't dared earlier.

Lily's voice grew cold. "Kill Remus."

James' mouth dropped open. He was stunned. Kill Remus? "I don't think so," he responded after a moment.

"Bloody typical," Lily hissed, pushing herself up, out of James' lap.

"Lily, wait." James reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Let me go. You profess your love to me and then you refuse to challenge Lupin to a duel. You don't love me. Let me go!"

"Lily –"

"Let me go!"

"Can we at least be friends?"

Lily looked at him, bewildered. "You think being friends with me is going to be easier than fighting my enemy?" she asked him.

"Is Remus your enemy?"

"Did he, or did he not just slander, scorn and dishonour my best friend? Did he not just, at their wedding, publicly accuse him of sleeping around? Did he not, with unmitigated rancour just accuse him of being a Knockturn Alley whore?

"If I was a man I would challenge him to a duel myself!"

"Hear me, Lily –" James tried to interrupt, but Lily was in the middle of one of her spiels.

"Who has sex on a balcony in full view of an entire village? Severus is so shy he never even swam in the lake while we were at school!"

"Lily –"

"Sweet, sweet Severus. He has been wronged, he has been slandered. He is undone."

"Lil-"

"Bloody Black and Bloody Lupin! If I were a man, I would challenge them both to a duel to the death! But men aren't men anymore. They are all talk, no action. All talk. They will tell a lie and then swear it upon their honour! Bloody men!"

Lily took another deep breath. James decided not to try to interrupt her this time, and braced himself for another tongue-lashing.

But Lily did not continue on her tirade: instead, she crumpled to the floor, devastated.

James knelt beside her, and drew her close. He wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her temple, as she tried to control her breathing.

"Do you think in your very soul that Remus has wronged Severus?" he asked quietly.

Lily nodded. "Yes, I am as sure of that as I am sure that I have thoughts and that I have a soul."

James kissed her forehead again. "That is all I need to hear. I will do your bidding. I will challenge Remus to a duel to the death. By my hand Remus will be held accountable. Go, comfort Severus. I will tell the others that he is dead."

tbc...

Feedback very welcome!
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Much Ado About Nothing