She didn't fancy him. Honest. And Lily Marie Evans doesn't lie. Most of the time. It was just…that hair. It used to bother her that he would look "cool" by ruffling it up, but now it was kind of…..endearing. And his voice. Not so low that it was creepy, and so reassuring that she would probably jump off a bridge if he asked her to. He was just so…no. She was not going down that road. James Potter was just another stuck up marauder trying to prove that he was better than the rest of the world. Well his charm wouldn't work on her. No way. No siree. But that hair…. Nothing like the greasy hair of… crap. It was him. The other unmentionable man in Lily's life, and he was coming towards her with a look of pure determination etched across his depressing features. The long nose, the long hair, the lack of a smile, no doubt about it, it was Snape. A month ago Lily would have called him over, embracing him in her signature one arm hug and hex anyone who yelled at her for it. But after he called her that…word, that absolutely awful dreadful word, all he got from her were glares. Please don't notice me… please don't notice me. She wished, but it was hopeless. He was a man on a mission and she was unfortunate enough to be the target.

"Lily!"

He yelled, clearly out of breath. But she was not in the mood to talk. Nor would she ever be. No way.

"Go away Se...Snape" she'd almost slipped, she'd almost used his nickname. The nickname he no longer deserved. Her auburn hair whipped his face as she turned around.

"Please Lily, listen!"

But she wouldn't, why should she? She began walking. Then jogging. Then running. What did it take to shake him off?

"Dammit Lily LISTEN!"

His tone made her stop dead. He never used that tone with her…well except once. She turned around fast. He stopped abruptly, barely escaping slamming into her.

"Severus Tobias Snape I swear on Merlin's left earlobe if this isn't worth it I'll hex you so hard you won't remember which house you're in."

She fixed a glare on him. He staggered and reached to touch his own left earlobe. Lily didn't make empty threats.

"They're planning something Lily. Be careful" Snape said quickly, then he left, as suddenly as he had come, leaving Lily alone in the middle of the corridor, gaping. Well bloody hell what did that mean! That git couldn't even give her a hint? So Lily did what any sensible person would do, she ran. Straight to the common room, surely a large arm chair and a hot coa coa would help her mull the strange warning over. Just one more suit of armor to pass, she could see the fat lady, and Frank Longbottom's lips mouthing the password she was so close. But karma was out to get her.

"Hey Lils" Lily whirled around. Potter. Great. She rolled her eyes. She didn't notice that his were red and puffy; in fact he still had tears running down his cheeks. His voice sounded weird, but she was too distracted to even care. Holding up her hand to his face she said

"Honestly Potter I only need to get to the common room, I am not in the mood for this." James looked awe struck. No, he looked angry.

"Really Evans?"

I thought we were past all this damn crap!" he yelled, attracting quite a bit of attention in the process. "Apparently NOT" he stormed into the Fat Lady without another word. Lily stood there looking remarkably like a fish, in pure horror.

"What?" she whispered. She stared at the ground. Marble. How pretty, how freaking pretty. She heard footsteps.

"Lily! Where did he go?" Remus, looking flushed and out of breath, wheezing heavily. He to, had eyes that were red and puffy. This time she noticed.

"Remus what's going on? What happened?" Lily was near tears "I snapped at James and he blew up! I always snap at James!"

Remus stared at her with wide eyes. Peter could now be heard, he was rather large so it took him longer to catch up.

"Where…..is….he…Moony….we …need…..to find…him!"

Peter managed to choke out between gasps. Remus rolled his eyes.

"Thanks Wormtail for stating the OBVIOUS!" Peter's eyes flashed but he fell silent. Remus was the calm one, something was seriously wrong. He turned back to Lily.

"Lily, James just got a letter…his parents are dead." Now tears were leaking freely from his eyes.

Lily's mouth opened again.

"But, but, but… Voldemort?" she gasped in a whisper. James's parents are…were well known Aurors. Remus shook his head and laughed scathingly.

"Well that's what's so damn ironic. They weren't killed by HIM. They were killed by dragon pox, of all things!"

He looked ready to crack. Lily felt something on her ankle. She figured it was just Peter's breath (as he was now doubled over).

"Oh I have to talk to him!" she cried. In tears she buried her head in her hands.

"Yes you do. I think he needs you."

Lily flipped her head up from her hands.

"Okay."

Lily entered the common room with a look of such determination that absolutely no one stood in her way. She stopped at the foot of the steps. Go…not go…go…not go. Her mind was racing. GO. She sprinted up the steps before she could change her mind. She didn't have to wonder which room was the Mauraders. The third door down was adorned with a large sign that read

MAURADERS RESIDNECE ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK

(PADFOOT ENCOURAGES THIS AS HE IS OFTEN BORED)

(MOONY DISCOURAGES THIS AS HE CANNOT ALWAYS CONTROL HIS FRIENDS)

(WORMTAIL REALLY DOESN'T CARE, HE JUST WANTS FOOD)

(PRONGS JUST WANTS LILY TO GO OUT WITH HIM)

"bloody gits" Lily muttered before pushing open the door with a huff. The sight before her was shocking. As she had suspected Sirius's bed was unmade and his things were thrown everywhere, James's was only slightly better, Peter's was covered in food, and Remus' was neat down to the last book. That wasn't what shocked her. What shocked her was Sirius. He was crying. Real tears. Lily's maternal instincs took over.

"Oh Sirius" she whispered. Slowly, she walked towards his bed. In his hands was a picture. His grip was getting tighter by the moment. Lily wrapped her arms around his torso. He didn't complain. They stayed like that for a while.

"Dragon Pox" Sirius cried. "EFFING DRAGON POX" he threw Lily of the bed by getting up in a huff and throwing the picture down. As it fell, Lily caught a glimpse. Two elderly people were laughing arm in arm one hand on each of the two boys beside them.

"Well, threes not much to tell you but life sucks." Lily shrugged. Sirius looked at her, shocked.

"Hey, I'm just being honest. Being muggleborn I always put every protection over my parents possible" Lily sighed, crying with him. Sirius looked nonplused.

"Well a little while ago I got a letter saying my parents had been in a car accident on their way home from the supermarket." Sirius looked shocked.

"Voldemort?" he asked.

"Nope" she said wiping her eyes and looking up into space. "Broken brake on a SUV. Didn't stop Petunia from blaming on me though, you know being the freak that I am, I should've saved them or done magic on the car, or some other solution." Sirius was taken aback. "For a while my mantra was life sucks and then you die. And to be honest sometimes that's exactly what I wanted to do, die. But then you and the Maurauders pulled that prank with the sparkles and fireworks, and seeing everybody so happy I made up a new mantra. Yeah, life's unfair and it sucks but dying doesn't solve anything. There are things a lot worse than death. Oh and seeing as I have friends who are willing to wear sparkles on their cloaks all day, and make me laugh when I feel like puking, life can't be all bad" Sirius just stared, at a loss for words. " So basically Sirius, what I'm saying is, sure today sucks and tomorrow and the next day probably will too, but keep living. If not for yourself than for them, if James is anything like them they'd tell you to get off your bloody arse and pull a prank. And that's exactly what you're going to do if I have to perform the magic myself." She squeezed his hand. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go repeat that whole spiel to James. I suspect that a certain cloak was involved in his escape. She got up, kissed Sirius's forehead and exited the room, but not before hearing something that sounded suspiciously like "Thanks Lils."