Grow up (Ernest)

Lily was sitting on the couch in the common room, enjoying the peace and quiet except for the crackle of the roaring fire behind her. She sighed and opened her potions book to study for her potions test when the portrait slammed open. She growled as she saw one of James Potters stupid friends walk in. One of the ones who always tormented poor Severus. She shook her head and tried to focus on her studies.

Ernest entered the common room after some more late night reading in the restricted section with his friends. They were still studying up on animagi and could only read the gritty details at night after hours.

One look at the fireplace area told Ernest Jame's crush was there, Lily Evans. Now how could he pass up a chance to make her mad? So he sat down beside her and said "You look very vibrant this evening Miss Evans."

Lily growled and bit her lip as Ernest sat beside her. He just had to open his mouth. "Hello to you too, Ernest. And thank you. Can I help you with something? As you can see, I am trying to study. And I can not do so if you are here." She looked up and pursed her ruby red lips into a line as she waited for his response.

Ernest let out a snort at her retort "Studying? Really? Whatcha studying?" He looked over her shoulder and saw it was potions and laughed "Oh, you are trying to seem smart for your next potions date with Snivilus. Keep up the good work Evans." he continued to chuckle, taking the book from her hands to read it.

"Potions, Ernest." She focused on what the book was saying and began to read aloud, "Amortentia is the most powerful Love Potion in existence. It causes a powerful infatuation or obsession from the drinker. It has a distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen, and steam rises from it in characteristic spirals."

When he called her friend by that awful nickname, she growled, her face turning a shade of red, but she did not respond. Instead she kept on reading, "It has a different aroma for everyone who smells it, reminding each person of the things that they find most attractive, even if the person doesn't acknowledge or is unaware of their fondness for the object of their affection themselves. So for example, I would smell parchment, honey and the forest." She wrinkled her nose as she thought about how James Potter often smelled of honey and the forest, but shook her head and returned to her book.

Ernest let out a chuckle "Love potions? Really Evans. You know you don't need one right? Snivilus is so madly in love with you it makes me puke ever day" He could also think of someone else who was madly crushing on this red head, but was bound by a bro code not to say anything about it.

He then snorted and said "Not ink, stink and slim?"

"Do not call him that, Ernest. Or I will hex you into next week!" She said, her voice getting louder with every word she spoke. She took a deep breath to collect herself and returned to her book. "No it is not ink or slime or stink. If it was, i would be rather attracted to you, now wouldnt I?"

She felt satisfied with her comeback and smiled softly to herself. "The effects of the potion on a person are described to be near instantaneous; with the person who drank the potion appearing "pale and sickly" and becoming obsessed with the object of their affections, speaking of them as though "hit by a ray of purest sunlight" and becoming excited or dangerously unstable towards others."

Ernest snorted "Watch it Evans, Or I will give you the same treatment I gave your Slimey friend" He warned, still finding this all so funny. Unlike Severus Snape.. he took a shower every day. And unlike the Slytherin idiot, he was actually a good person who saw people for more than what was in their veins.

He then rolled his eyes at Lily "Really? So you have been feeding Snape love potions all this time? Cause he is Pale.. and ugly, and totally wants red haired children." He snorted

"You dont scare me, Moore. I have skirts that are scarier than you." She rolled her eyes and closed her text book, deciding that she would not get any studying done with him around. "What do you want, Ernest? Why are you harassing me?" She rolled her eyes and sighed, "I have not been giving Snape love potions. If he loves me, it is true love, not artificial. But he is not in love with me. He is my best friend."

Ernest smirked "because they show too much leg? Yeah I can understand why" He laughed, she was just setting herself up more and more for his insults.

When she mentioned him harassing her, he actually sighed "Because you are jumping into bed with a guy who talks smack about you behind your back." He then shook his head at her "You are so blind Lily Evans.. so very blind."

Lil shook her head, "No... no youre lying. James wouldnt... I mean.. Severus wouldnt do that." She bit her lip and hoped he didnt catch her slip up on the names. "Sev wouldnt talk about me behind my back." She thought for a moment, "What is he saying, Ernest?"

Ernest shook his head "No, James is trying to defend you, not call you things like dirty blood behind your back." He then added "As for Snape, I will not repeat the things he says because it makes me sick at my stomach." He then got up and began to head to his dorm "I am going to bed now. Enjoy your love potions Evans. If you are trying to sneak me one, remember I sleep with my wand under my pillow."

Lily whimpered when he said the words, Dirty blood. Was Snape saying those things about her. "Ernest... do you know where James is? I need to speak with him." She needed to be in James' arms at the moment. She looked up at him and bit her lip. "I wouldnt want to slip you a love potion, Ernest. I happen to have a boyfriend." Fuck... she hadn't meant to say that.

Ernest laughed "yeah, Snivilus 'Mr Pureblood" Snape. As for where James is.. I haven't the foggiest idea" He pulled an innocent face before he went up to his dorm, having to remember to confront James about whatever him and Lily Evans were up to. And why the hell hadn't he told Remus, Peter, Sirius and him.

"Very well then. Good night, Ernest." Lily sighed and packed up her stuff. She decided to just call it a night. She would be confronting Severus about these nasty rumors. She grumbled as she climbed the stairs and wished she were with James. She wanted her boyfriend