Elementals and Mages
Summary: James and Lily are in their seventh year and James isn't as much of a prat as the books say he was. Instead, it was a mask; so what exactly does that mask hide? James' lovely mysterious cousins May and Annabelle are here. What exactly is one Lily Evans going to learn about James this year?
Chapter 1
Lily Evans cried out in terror, reaching an icy hand out blindly. A warm long fingered hand caught hers, warming it and slowly bring her back to awareness. She clung to the hand, desperate for human comfort. Warm arms enveloped her comfortingly. "Lily?" James Potter asked tentatively, patting her back gently. Inwardly, he sighed. How pathetic was he? All it took was one breakdown and all his resolution to leave her alone, that she had so obviously told him last year, flew out of the window. Almost magically. He thought sarcastically. Lily flung her arms around him, crying unashamedly. "Dead." She hiccupped. "All dead." Understanding dawned in his warm hazel eyes. "Shh" He said soothingly. "You're fine, everyone's fine. Go to sleep and everything will be fine in the morning." He reluctantly stood to leave. A hand tugged his tentatively. "Please, could you stay?" Lily asked, turning frightened emerald eyes to him pleadingly. "Just this once?" He caved in; who could resist Lily. At least, he amended wryly, no boy his age, least of all himself. Also, it worried him to see Lily so vulnerable. She was usually strong and resilient, just like his cousins.
James cradled the terrified girl in his arms, waiting patiently for her tears to dry. Lily closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, enjoying the strength of the arms that surrounded her so comfortingly. This was what most of the girls in her dorm dreamed of. James, Sirius and Remus were the three most popular and sought after guys in Hogwarts with James undeniably the favorite and most popular of the trio. James normally was so cocky and annoying, but he definitely was a lot better the past two years. He did try to give her the space she had demanded, rather loudly the he give her. But, he did not appear to make any effort to stop pestering and hexing Severus. No matter that Severus had been mixed up with rather bad company; he was still her friend no matter what. But, but, James had really cared, or seemed to anyway. Thinking was not going to help, at least not in the middle of the night. She told herself firmly, dozing off in James' arms, snuggling instinctively in its welcome warmth.
That was how Sirius found them in the morning. He practically knocked down the door to get to James, but stopped short at the sight that greeted him. Lily, with her hair spread over James' shoulder in shining waves of red, her face buried in his chest, enveloped in his arms. James, his normally messy hair sleep tousled, his arms wrapped around Lily's slender form protectively. He had never been more lost for words in his entire life. It was more shocking than seeing a Gryffindor and a Slytherin working together peacefully, especially the older boys. Lily had hated James almost as far as memory went, in fact, he had never seen her civil to James outside of her duties. The numbness wore off and he tiptoed out, almost tripping over himself in his anxiety to get out without waking either of them.
Lily woke first. She found herself, much to her extreme surprise in James' arms. As she remembered the nightmare and James coming she groaned then blushed furiously at her memories. And immediately felt mortified; how could she have allowed herself to be so vulnerable, so like a damsel in distress. She didn't go for that. She didn't want to be rescued, least of all by James bloody Potter. Her first instinct was to move away, but her body refused to obey, perversely content in his arms. A wave of drowsiness overcame her. Just a while longer, she'd deal with it after she woke up. Thank god for weekends, she decided sleepily, falling asleep.
James woke to a warm weight in his arms. He gazed down at the sleeping girl in shock. Oh no, what had he done this time. Lily felt so right in his arms, like she belonged there. Gods, he thought wryly, Lils would kill me if she heard me right now. He attempted to ease the slumbering girl out of his arms into her own bed. She clung to him tightly. He hesitated, the impulsively dropped a feather light kiss on her forehead. Lily stirred slightly and he froze guiltily. She didn't wake up and rolled off slightly, allowing him to transfer her to her bed. Lily did not appear to notice and snuggled deeper under the covers.
The minute James stepped out; he was whisked off by a very anxious Sirius and Remus who looked more than half asleep. Where was Peter? He wondered. He did not realize that he had spoken aloud until Remus very tiredly informed him that the mentioned Marauder was spending time in his parents' home and probably would be staying there for the rest of the year as he had somehow managed to catch a highly infectious magical illness; the wizarding version of chicken pox. It meant that he would be quarantined for the rest of the year after he recovered. "Spill!" Sirius demanded loudly, not bothering to reduce his volume. "Was it really Lily?" James sighed tiredly. He pulled his wand out and cast a silencing spell silently, enclosed by specific parameters, namely, approximately two meters around the trio. "Yes it was. She just had a nightmare; I'm going to visit Madame Pomfrey for a Dreamless Sleep Potion for her. See you two at the kitchens in fifteen minutes." He lifted the charm with a quick flick of his wrist, leaving the two behind, speechless.
Lily woke for the second time that day, feeling refreshed and contented. She turned to the bedside table. There, balanced neatly was a breakfast tray and a vial of silvery potion that she immediately recognized as Dreamless Sleep Potion. It was labeled in James' bold, flowing script. Dreamless Sleep Potion, use it if you have any further nightmares. Like all his notes, it was very brief and to the point. She sighed, too confused to decipher James' behavior. She climbed out of bed and tucked into the breakfast happily.
Dinnertime
"Why is it taking so long?!" Sirius moaned, clutching his stomach dramatically. Lily, who was sitting with the Marauders laughed; James sighed, partly amused, partly annoyed. "My cousins remember? May said something about arranging for babysitting and her younger siblings" He shredded a piece of parchment absently. "And after that, they do like a dramatic entrance. "What do they look like?" Lily asked curiously. James turned to smile warmly at her. "May is brown haired, Annabelle is dark haired, Drew's May's best friend and he has straight cut dark hair and emerald eyes." Remus straightened. "Drew's Briar, May's Rosethorn or Rose and Annabelle went as Belle!" "Yup, that was their cover names whenever they visited for summer. They said their coming as undercover backup so as not to worry the students and to have some fun, though their sense of humor is doubtful…" James left his sentence unfinished and frowned worriedly. Mom and Dad are on duty, what if anything happens to them? I can't hope that they'll manage to escape again if they get captured by Death Eaters. Most people can't even escape once. Lily frowned. "What did you say?" He jumped. "Nothing." How come she can hear me thinking? Damn, I'll need to ask the girls again. Lily frowned but kept silent, she did not know why she could hear him but it was confusing!
"What time are they arriving?" Lily asked. James started to reply, but what he had to say was lost in the roll of thunder and flash of lightening. About now he mouthed. Three hooded figures appeared at the doorway, pausing for effect. Whispers started as the wind blew the cloaks back. "That'll be Annabelle she has control over wind, weather, ice and fire and all other elements to a lesser extent. Ice and wind is her specialty." The effect on the hall was as if they were Veela. The boy, Drew, as James had said was dark haired with emerald eyes and a physique that most of the girls in the hall were practically drooling over and the brown haired girl, May was stunningly beautiful with a slender figure, long brown hair and sapphire eyes. The third, she guessed was Annabelle. The hooded girl drew off her hood. She was as lovely, if not lovelier, her delicate features, long raven black hair and slender delicacy as well as the innate grace that all three possessed was tempered by the sheer power radiating off them. Her sapphire blue eyes and pale skin was a pleasing contrast to the waist length hair and the students and the staff were mesmerized by her clear beauty. James laughed. "Trust them to be dramatic." "Always" A soft, musical voice said. James looked slightly surprised then looked at the ring on his finger. "Belle! Do you need to scare everyone?!" "That's mild compared to… talk to you later; I wasn't to see if we get Sorted." The voice broke off. He shook his head in mild exasperation, and then turned his attention to Dumbledore. (Author's note: [ ] stands for mind talk) [Albus.] [Annabelle] The dark haired girl greeted the Headmaster silently. He stood. "Welcome to Hogwarts" "These three are our new transfer students. They have not attended magical school previously. I trust that you all will do your best to help them adjust. They will be in Seventh Year and they will not be Sorted." Three simultaneous groans greeted him mentally. [But we want to be Sorted! May complained] [It gives us a good indication of what general qualities we have. Drew protested] [I think that it would be fun but if not. She did the mental equivalent of a shrug. We have separate dorms and otherwise, we'll stick to James and Gryffindor.] Dumbledore smiled. "They will be sitting with the Gryffindors as some of them have relatives there. "The other Houses looked disappointed and Gryffindor gave a rousing cheer as the trio made their way to the Gryffindor tables.
The trio seated themselves next to the Marauders and Lily. Disappointed sighs followed them. People from other Houses craned their necks to catch a glimpse of these mysterious, lovely, strangers.