a/n: Welcome! This is going to be a collection of fifty one-shots based on James/Lily from the fifty prompts from the OTP Boot Camp Challenge by Gamma Orionis. They all follow the same timeline but are not in chronological order and may reference events from some of my other fics.

warnings: this applies to the whole fic and although I haven't actually written the whole thing yet I can imagine there'll be possibly underage smoking and/or drinking (which I am in no way advocating) possible sexy times and quite a lot of bad language.

disclaimer: I'm not Jo or Gamma and it's quite sad really.

one - acrid

"We're going up, up, up! Shooting to the sky!"

The door to The Dragon's Hide crunches shut and they're met with a faceful of exuberant men, jumping up and down and sloshing Firewhiskey everywhere. The girl goes first, pushing her way through the joyful crowd with a scowl.

"Like an Arrow soaring faster, we're gonna fly so high, we're going up, up, up –"

She reaches her seat with a new record – only four alright, love? Ditch ol' Speccy and come with me offers tonight – and slumps against the bench, leaning her chin in her palms. James follows, plopping himself down next to her somewhat unceremoniously, having ignored (elbowed) the idiots on the way who jeered at his girlfriend and says, "Some crowd, eh?"

Lily doesn't respond.

Sirius works his way over and slides in next to James with a nod of his head towards the revellers.

"Some crowd, eh?"

"Just said that," James supplies tonelessly, if only to fill the space, and Lily's face slides further into her hands so it is almost completely covered.

"ARROWS! Up, up, ARROWS! Up, up –"

"Pete's just coming," Sirius says a moment later. "If he survives the journey."

He does, and places the four shot glasses on the table. "Bloody murder getting here," he says, sitting down. "You'd think the team had just moved up in the league or something." His grin is met without comment and he blinks. "Drink up."

Lily picks up a small glass and throws it back, wincing. "Merlin," she coughs. "What is that?"

"Careful, Evans," Sirius warns.

"I could drink you under the cauldron, Sirius," she scoffs, "so shut your mouth." It's supposed to be fierce but the battle tonight has taken the fight out of her voice and she just sounds weary.

Peter observes the two of them glaring at each other and turns to James. "You support the Arrows, Prongs," he states, receiving a half-hearted shrug in response.

"Used to," is all James offers, and a silence settles over the group.

The stench of Firewhiskey burns the back of her throat and Lily's sure she can smell death on her, too. Death and the acrid smoke that went with the baby's screams as they tried to rescue its mother from the burning wreckage –

She swallows quickly and refills their glasses with her wand, downing another shot before the others have even picked theirs up. Lily avoids her boyfriend's worried gaze and he clears his throat.

"To Remus," James proposes, and the three men (boys) nod.

(It'd been the first fight they'd fought without him for a few months and his first full moon without them for a few years and neither side was particularly pleased about it but you know:Dumbledore's orders.)

"May the bugger be alright," Sirius adds, and they knock their next shots back.

Later the others are quieter and there isn't much noise in the now half-empty pub. The only shouts come from the back where a fight has broken out because a group of bitter Canons fans had invaded the Arrows territory and they'd accepted the challenge without hesitation.

Lily can't help wondering how men manage to find fights in such insignificant places and suddenly she just wants to go home. She wants James' arms around her and the blankets on their bed to separate them from the dangers of the outside world and keep the faces she sees when she closes her eyes at bay.

The war is taking its toll on her.

"Lily?" Peter asks, noticing her expression.

James turns to her. "You alright?" He tilts her chin with his fingers and brushes her eyelids. "C'mere." She slides closer to him and he puts his arm around her.

Sirius' eyes flicker over the pair and he looks at Peter. "Come on, mate. I don't think we're wanted."

Lily glances at them, her face melancholy. "'Course you are," she says, and her voice is croaky.

He makes a sound but she's not sure if he agrees and she sighs. "Let's go," Lily says, tugging at James' arm. He kisses her forehead and stands, offering her his hand.

When they step outside it's drizzling. Lily shivers and James hugs her tighter, the rain misting up his specs. She buries her face in his jacket, wrapping her arms around him. Sirius rolls his eyes and falls into step beside his friend, Peter next to him, and the four of them walk home in the rain.

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