Part 1: The Beginning
Chapter 1: Moving In
Lily's POV
The four of us stood together, each with a sleeping bag under one hand, and a backpack in the other. The cottage looked immensely small from this view. I heard the Knight Bus set off with a bang behind us. What was I thinking, moving into a house with three 17-year-old wizards? And one of them being Sirius Black?
"What are we standing here staring at it for? Come on, let's get inside then it's party in Lily's room!" Sirius said rushing past us and into the little white and red building. Remus followed, laughing, and James turned to me. "Come on, Lils!" he said before he too walked into the cottage.
I was beginning to have serious doubts about this especially when I heard Sirius shout, "Look at the SIZE of that spider!" Groaning I looked up at the sky thinking about what could be worse. Then it started raining. I ran with my sleeping bag over my head into the cottage. I had to ask, didn't I?
James' POV
The possibilities of us having our own house were unlimited. The Marauders Central, doesn't that sound great? Sure, Peter had his own place, but three fourths of the Marauders in one house was better than none. And Lily was here too.
Lily and I had been dating since the beginning of the 7th year, about year before this. But we still were not serious exactly. I mean, I really liked her. I had for years. And I had so much fun with her but…we never really had time to be a couple. There was so much riding on us being the Heads. I had quidditch and she had her job at Honeyduke's. It wasn't that I didn't want to be with her, I just wasn't sure where we stood. Maybe living with her would make a difference…
Lily's POV
When I got in the cabin I was slightly surprised. It was disgusting. Thick layers of dust covered everything. Sirius and Remus had disappeared and James was dusting off the small, four-person table so on which I promptly dropped my stuff. There was a couch and rocking chair on one side of the main room. A large window allowed us to see the trees outside the living area. The table and a length of counter that ran the width of the room, which was about 6 meters, were on the other. A wide metal sink with a pump for a faucet rested at the farthest end of the counter. There were two doors in the wall opposite the entrance. Remus and Sirius came out of the one on the left.
"Mate," Sirius said to James, "There're bunk-beds!" I laughed at his enthusiasm. I peeked into the room they had just come from. It was a quite small, only two thirds of the main room, and windowless. On the left wall were the bunk beds, with a trundle beneath it. I was assuming this would be the boys' room. On the right wall were a large wardrobe and a tall dresser with six drawers. Next to the wardrobe was a ladder with a square trap door in the ceiling above it. I would explore that later. I wanted to see my room first. I leaned back out from the boys' room and opened the door on the right. This was amazingly small, half as the size of the bedroom. It was the bathroom. A shower, sink, and toilet on the right side and a set of shelves on the left. I left it and went to where the guys were opening butterbeer at the counter.
"Where's my room? I am not sleeping with you three... no offense or anything but, no way."
"Oh come on, you can bunk with Prongs, I'm sure he would like that," Sirius muttered into his half-drained bottle. Remus whacked him upside the head.
"Did you see the ladder in our room, Lily? That leads to your room," said Remus.
I get the attic? I wordlessly left them and picked up my sleeping bag and pack from where I had left them next to James' on the table before. Crossing their room I began to climb the ladder and pushed the trapdoor open with my head because my hands where full. I was expecting a dirty little room, taken up mostly by boxes but what I found was nothing like that. The trap door came up in the middle of the back wall. The room was the size of all three rooms downstairs put together. To my right was a large picture window, covered by ruffled white curtains. A wood bed with a new, stiff mattress was directly across from me. At the foot of it was a wide oak chest. To my left was an identical window with the same curtains. There was a desk and chair situated beneath it. Herbs hung from the angled eaves making the dusty room smell sweet. I smiled to my self and put my things on the chest. Letting out a shout of triumph, I collapsed onto the bed, so glad that I was not the boys sleeping in that cramped, windowless room. Go me! Do the happy dance.
James' POV
When we heard Lily yell we quickly rushed into our room and I called up the trapdoor, "Lil, are you all right?"
"YES, YES, YES! I am perfectly WONDERFUL!"
Wondering what on earth she was talking about we climbed up the ladder. I was awe struck when I saw the attic. I could not believe Lily was getting such a nice spot while I was in a windowless cell with a lumpy mattress. Girls get everything…
Lily's POV
I made no move to get up when the guys climbed into my room. I was perfectly content on the comfy bed.
"No way…" Remus trailed off, spinning in a circle to take it all in. James came and sat on the edge of the bed next to me. I heard the trunk being opened, and saw that it was Sirius.
"Hey, I found blankets, sheets, and pillows!"
"Yippy for you, Padfoot," James muttered so that only I could hear him. I laughed; Sirius could be so random sometimes. After a few minutes I made my bed. Then I went downstairs to make some dinner while they made up their own beds.