Written for:

TOW Ross Finds Out: Write a male/female friendship pairing.

Speed Drabble: SiriusLily, Scandalous, "Choose or else."

Out Of This World Challenge: James Potter, A Sky Full Of Stars- Coldplay, Orbit

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"Scandalous, isn't it?" A Ravenclaw girl whispered to her friends, their mouths set in disapproving lines.

Lily walked by them with her head held high. She had been hearing the whisper leak into her orbit since she was eleven years old, bright and eager as people hissed slurs at her in Diagon Alley. Then, for being a Prefect. Later, for being Head Girl. Now, for wearing a shiny engagement ring from Sirius Black.

"All right, Lils?" James said easily, appearing from nowhere and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Lily leaned in with a smile, remembering the days she had hated James and Sirius both, whispering about them with Severus Snape. Now, James was her best friend and she was going to marry Sirius when they graduated, no matter how much of a scandal it would cause.

"I'm alright," Lily said honestly, kissing James's cheek. "How is Sirius doing?"

James's previously happy expression darkened. "Not too well. His mother disowning him, Regulus joining the Death Eaters, well- you can imagine."

Lily did remember- the panicked owl from James when Sirius arrived broken and bloody to his house in the middle of the night, apparating straight from her bed, clad in only Pyjamas, Sirius's haunted eyes as he repeated his mother's words: "choose or else."

Sirius had chosen: their future engagement, his friendship with the Marauders, the family he had made despite their lack of blood relation.

Lily sighed tiredly, rubbing at her forehead wearily. "Would he want to see me? Should I go regardless? He can't stay in this funk, James, I won't let him-" Lily's voice broke with a sob.

"Hey, hey, don't cry, Lils- or cry if you want, I won't judge, I promise, but we'll get through this," James said, his voice soft. Lily wrapped both arms around him.

"Will we really?" She asked bitterly. "There's a war going on, James, and I can't stop crying, no one wants to even hire Remus and I know it's tearing him up despite his claims, Peter is barely even around anymore, Sirius can't get out of bed, you can't keep us all from falling apart- we're graduating soon, I'm getting married but I can't even decide what career to chose!"

James rubbed her back comfortingly and Lily tried not to think about the fact that she was falling apart in her best friend's arms in the middle of the schoolyard, with no doubt a hundred eyes staring at them.

"Lily, look at me," James said urgently. Lily looked up, wiping at her tear-stained eyes. "Lily, I want you to think about your happiest moment."

Lily knew exactly what James was planning but it wasn't like she had any better ideas. Taking a deep breath, she thought. Getting the Hogwarts letter- but no, that had ruined everything with Petunia and Snape had been there. Her Hogwarts year were all coloured by her lack of friends (not until the Marauders), and the upcoming war looming in the distance.

But then- there was one moment. One bright moment, despite it all, where Sirius dropped onto one knee and brought out the most beautiful ring she had ever seen in her life. All her new friends had been there, James and Peter and Remus and Alice and Frank and Marlene.

Her happiest moment.

"Expecto Patronum," Lily called softly and a glowing, black dog appeared at the end of her wand, barking softly.

It coiled around her, running in circles happily and a slow smile spread through her face.

"Thank you," Lily whispered, squeezing James's shoulder. He smiled softly, grabbing her hand.

"You're welcome, Lils. Now, go find your man. He needs you."

And so, off she went.