Lily sat in the Gryffindor common room on that Friday evening. She glanced around the room, the red and gold tapestries hung lazily and the large fireplace crackled. She stretched out on the red couch, glad that Potter was in detention. Her eyelids grew heavier and after a short while - which felt like hours to Lily - she succumbed to the darkness that overtook her as she slept.
Her eyes widened when she heard the front door bang open. "Lily it's him. Run, get away, I'll protect you." yelled James as he grabbed his wand, running towards the dark figure.
Lord Voldemort laughed coldly, and said those ruthless words "avada kedavra." Lily heard a thud as James' limp figure toppled to the floor. She ran to Harry's room, determined to protect her son at any cost. The door banged open once more, and she held her son's body close to her.
"Silly girl, step away from him. You need not die tonight." Lord Voldemort hissed.
"Never, I'd rather die." Lily spat, infuriated.
"Stupid girl, then you shall die too. Avada kedavra." Lily dropped to the floor, no longer feeling, only seeing the bright green she had just witnessed. She struggled to stay conscious, but it was difficult. Lord Voldemort walked to her son, pointing his wand at him. Green eyes met red and lord Voldemort hissed, "Avada kedavra." A bright green flash, a screech, and it went black.
Lily woke up suddenly, James's face above hers, too close for Lily's comfort. She stared into his eyes, as he did hers. She wondered what he saw in hers, probably fear and hate. He tilted his head slightly, "You alright Evans?"
Lily frowned, her brow puckered. "Yes Potter, I am fine. What's it to you?"
James's concern was wiped off of his face, and was replaced with arrogance. "I'm just worried about you Evans."
After a short, yet very awkward, pause, he smirked. "So, hogsmede weekend's almost here and I'm wondering if-"
"No." Lily interrupted.
James frowned. "Please? I promise you'll have fun. You might even start to like me more." He added seductively, waggling his eyebrows.
Lily shot up, "Never will I go out with you, James. You're a bigheaded, bullying, arrogant toerag." She got up, and stomped off towards the girls' dormitory, leaving James in the common room.
"Who spat in her pumpkin juice this morning." he muttered, flopping down onto the couch that Lily had moments before been sitting on.
As Lily lay in bed that night, she replayed the dream over and over in her mind, trying to make sense of it. Where was Severus? She though, forgetting for a moment the conversation that had taken place earlier that year. She shook that idea from her head, and scolding herself, silently cursed herself for even thinking he would be there caring for her. Why hadn't Sirius been there? Why had James been there in Sirius's place? Who was this man who wanted to kill her family? Her brow puckered again, these cursed dreams kept coming, and none ever came with answers. In an effort to get her mind off of the dreams, Lily opened her defence book to chapter 6 - the lesson she had missed that day. As she mindlessly read through the chapter, she thought about Sirius, and his odd behaviour. True, he didn't want to tell James about their relationship, but only because she knew how James would react. And she didn't want him to lose his only friend, the guy who took him in when he needed it most. That's why he respected him so much; maybe even loved him. Lily reached over to her night stand and picked up her bottle of dreamless sleep potion and looked at it thoughtfully. In one large gulp, she downed it. She lay in bed, trying not to think before the sleep took her. With one final sigh, she allowed the delicious darkness to hold her close; falling into a dreamless slumber.
When Lily woke that morning, she waltzed down to the common room, feeling refreshed. She hadn't had a better sleep this year. Upon entering the common room, she stopped dead in her tracks, whatever ecstasy she had been feeling from her wonderful sleep crashed to the ground.
There he was.
Sirius.
Snogging Charlotte Thomas.
As Lily's whole world teetered to a dangerous angle, she saw one person in the corner of her eye.
James.
She looked back over at Sirius, before making the rashest decision she'd done yet. She stomped over to James, and looked into his hazel eyes. He smiled at her for a second, and she kissed him.
No, kissing was too light a word for what she did; she snogged him.
It was the best, and worst experience yet.
She knew it was cheating, but Sirius cheated first. And somewhere, deep inside of her, she knew this was right. She belonged with James.
The next thing she knew, Sirius was right beside them. "Oi! That's my girlfriend you're snogging, get the hell out of here!" he was yelling; drawing everyone in the common room's attention.
Lily was furious. "And that was Charlotte fucking Thomas you were snogging over there! You were-" Lily stopped abruptly, and leaned in to hiss. "I wonder why I expected better. From you no less." She spun around to face James. "Since I'm single, I would love to go to hogsmede with you, James." She stomped out of the room, leaving James and Sirius standing there.
Gryffindors were whispering about Lily's uncharacteristic outburst.
James frowned. "Sorry mate, I had no idea- you didn't tell me you were - she just came on to me and-"
Sirius frowned, "I don't blame you mate, it was my fault. Have fun with her." and he too left the common room, leaving James alone. James looked around quickly, searching for Peter and Remus. "What the bloody hell are you staring at?" he shouted, and as he made his way to the great hall.
When he walked into the great hall, the room hushed dramatically. He sat between Peter and Remus, and unfortunately across from Sirius. Lily was with her friends, Marissa Keen and Nadia Gordon.
Sirius leaned towards James to apologize, but not wanting to resume the subject, James turned to Remus. "Did you finish that potions essay yet?" Remus nodded slowly, wondering what happened. "Could you help me? For the life of me, I can't remember any potions that require jobberknoll feathers." James stopped abruptly as Lily walked up to him and leaned to his ear and whispered: "Charms classroom, 7 o' clock. Don't be late; I'll be waiting." pecked him on the cheek and hopped off with Rissa and Nade.
James blushed, and he turned towards Peter and Remus, both looking awkward and sympathy shown clearly in their eyes. He turned towards his food, but not fast enough to ignore a red-faced Sirius. "What the bloody hell was that. Are you going to honestly go? You are the fucking rebound. She doesn't want you, save yourself some grief." Sirius ranted hotly, and a little too loud for his own good.
James turned to face him, and whispered hotly; "If you cared for her so damn much, you wouldn't have been snogging Charlotte. You have no right to say anything in this situation." He got up and stomped out of the great hall.
At exactly 7:09 that evening, James knocked on the charms door, hoping Lily wasn't running late. The door swung open, and James was roughly pulled in by a hormonal Lily. Not even ten seconds later, they were snogging like no tomorrow. James pulled away from Lily gently. "Babe, not to get me wrong, I love this; but shouldn't we at least be dating before we get too serious?" He blurted.
Lily sighed. "Fine, yes yes. James, would you like to be my boyfriend?" James smiled and kissed her roughly.
James and Lily stayed in this bliss for a couple hours, before Lily declared herself tired. James had been drowsy for a while, but he hadn't said anything in case he ruined the moment they were having. They slowly left the musty classroom, and walked cautiously to the common room. The fat lady was not pleased when James muttered "murtlap essence." Lily started to skip away to her dormitory, but before she could get too far, James grabbed her arm and twirled her around for a goodnight kiss. This too was heavenly to give up, pulling herself away softly and a small smile, Lily pranced up the stairs.
James turned to go sit by the fire when he noticed a dark body sprawled on the couch with a hateful look on his face. "What ate your pumpkin pastilles?" James said lightly.
Sirius turned and gave him a look of pure loathing. "You apparently." he spat. "You're the one who's snogging my girlfriend."
James put his hands up in front of him in a gesture of surrender. "She's not your girlfriend anymore, mate. You lost that one when you gained that raven haired beauty." he said quickly and jumped up. "Going to bed now bye." he said hurriedly, and almost ran to the stairs.
Sirius glared into the fire, seeming to lose more and more of his essence with every flicker. "Yeah, bye." he muttered as his eyelids finally drooped closed.