This got stuck in my head a while back and I needed to write it down - I hope you enjoy :)

PS I own nothing you recognize.

Lily POV

I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, completely unable to sleep. Earlier today, our NEWTs level DADA class had reviewed boggarts, since the professor found one in a broom closet in the dungeons. I'd been forced to watch the boggart sift through the dead, mangled bodies of Marlene, Alice, Sirius, and Remus before finally settling on bloody, lifeless corpse of James Potter.

Though I brushed off the incident at the time, the images of my friends' bodies (and James' in particular) are seared into my mind. Congratulations, boggart, you did your job, I think bitterly. Naturally, this has to be the one night that James gets his arse thrown into a forever long detention.

With a sigh, I throw back my duvet—I know I won't be able to fall asleep here. I trudge my way across the Heads Common Room. On my way to James' room, I spot his quidditch jersey lying on the couch. I pull off my nightgown and exchange it for the jersey, dropping the unwanted gown on the floor. I'll deal with it tomorrow.

I crawl into James' bed. Somehow, it feels warmer than my bed. Plus, it smells like him. It's one step closer to the giant hug I really want. But, alas, it will have to do until James gets back. I suppose I could go to the Gryffindor tower, but that would mean properly getting dressed. Not to mention, it is past curfew on a Friday night – a patrol shift I always eagerly assign the poor 5th year Hufflepuffs. The last thing I want to do right now is write up detention slips.

Just as I'm contemplating fetching a book from James' desk to help take my mind off the boggart, I hear hushed voices coming from just outside the door.

"Do you think we should knock first?"

"Why? She's in there alone, Padfoot. I don't want to wake her up if she's already asleep."

"But Moonnyyyyyyyyy. What if she's naked?"

"Sirius, why would she be naked?"

"I don't know, maybe a post-detention surprise for Prongsie?"

"You are the only person who thinks that is a legitimate seduction technique, but fine, knock if you must. But if we wake her up, you're taking the blame."

"Sirius, you and Remus can come in. I'm not naked!" I call out before Sirius can knock.

Remus peeps his head around the door. "Hey Lils," he says softly.

I sit up against the headboard. "James isn't back yet."

"Yeah, we know." He waves the Map in the air before dropping it onto the dresser.

Sirius unabashedly flops onto the bed, narrowly missing my legs. "Filch was in a terrible mood today too, so he probably won't be back for ages."

"Oh. Well, I'm not much in the mood to sneak out to the Three Broomsticks with you guys tonight…"

Remus smacks Sirius on the back of the head. "What Padfoot is trying to say, is that you looked a little shaken after this afternoon's DADA lesson and we thought you might want some company. I know we aren't James, but—"

"Psh, thank Merlin. We are a hundred times better than James." Remus smacks Sirius on the back of the head again.

I can't help but beam. Two years ago, I would have thought having the Marauders as my best friends would be insane; now I wish I had befriended them sooner.

"That's really sweet, boys. I was trying to sleep and every time I closed my eyes I couldn't help seeing the stupid images of the boggart. I was hoping James would come back soon…" I trail off.

Wordlessly, Sirius and Remus look at each other and seem to decide something. Remus shrugs off his button down and pulls back the covers. "Alright, scooch over Evans."

I comply and am quickly accosted with wet dog kisses from Sirius, who had transformed.

Remus rolls his eyes, but he's smiling. "Oi, take it down a notch Pads, you don't want James knowing you've practically made out with his girlfriend. Come on, Lils, let's sleep."

I lean into Remus' hug and Sirius settles on top of my feet. "You know, you two are the best friends anyone could ever ask for."

James POV

I glance at my watch – it's nearly 2 in the morning. Filch made me polish all of the trophies and clean the first floor boys bathroom by hand. This might go down in Marauder history as one of the worst detentions. Moaning Myrtle didn't exactly help either; she kept flooding the toilets so I would have to talk to her longer. Merlin, I wish pranking ghosts was easier.

I feel even worse because I know Lily had a terrible day and I wanted to be there for her this evening. I even tried to barter my way out of detention tonight by promising Filch I would serve two detentions this weekend if I could have tonight off. Of course, he didn't allow it, assuming I just wanted to go to some party (it was worth a shot).

By the time I reach the portrait hole, I am dead on my feet. I'm surprised to see Alice sitting against the wall. She leaps up when she sees me approaching.

"Thank Merlin, you're back!" She's flustered.

"Is everything okay, Alice?"

"I, well, I, um, I don't know."

"Alice, spit it out, what's wrong?" I'm starting to get worried now.

"Look, I'm really, really sorry about this, but remember what they say about hating the message and not the messenger. See, I just came by a little bit ago to fetch that bottle of firewhiskey I stashed in Lily's room—Marlene and I finished all of hers. And, well, the door was open and I couldn't help but notice and I didn't know what to do so I decided I just had to wait and warn you because I knew you had detention tonight—"

"ALICE! Out with it, you're rambling." I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the worst.

Alice squeezes her eyes shut and tilts her head back to look at the ceiling. Her answer comes out rushed, in one quick exhale. "Lilyisinbedwithsomeoneelse"

With that, she runs off.

For a moment, I can't move. I'm confused. Consciously, I know that Lily would never cheat on me. Rationally, I know that in some alternate universe where Lily did cheat on me, she wouldn't be stupid enough to do it in our shared common room. Theoretically, Alice could have been so drunk she mistook a large pillow for a body.

Emotionally, though, I want to pummel whatever bloke is supposedly in there with Lily.

Tentatively, I push through the portrait hole. I first peek into Lily's room, but she's not there. I glance across the common room and see that my bedroom door is ajar. I cross the room, mumbling reassurances to myself under my breath.

When I reach my doorway, I have to bite back a laugh at the scene before me. I can see how this could look bad; Lily is in bed with another man and she is laying her head on his shirtless chest. However, that man is Remus. In case that fact alone isn't enough to make me feel safe in my relationship, I can see 'POTTER' stamped in big letters across her back and there is a very familiar shaggy black dog curled between their legs.

Chuckling, I grab the camera off my dresser and take a picture of my friends all cuddling on my bed. When I set the camera down, I notice the Map laying open. I tap it with my wand, muttering "Mischief Managed".

As I pull my own shirt over my head and climb into the other side of the bed, I mentally thank Padfoot and Moony for being there for Lily when I can't be. I really do have the best friends in the world.