Anything

Chapter Three: The Marauders

It was nearly 10pm when James finally got back to the Head dormitory. Quidditch practice had run a little longer than anticipated, all because he'd lost track of time and had wanted to work the new additions to the Gryffindor team a little longer.

"Oh, there you are," Lily said, frowning. "We're almost late for our rounds."

"Our rounds!" James sighed, he had nearly forgotten that he and Lily were supposed to do the late night Hogwarts rounds.

"Let's go then," Lily stood up, abandoning her homework on the coffee table. James glanced longingly toward his bed, but followed her out of the portrait and into the corridors. "How was Quidditch practice?" she asked, filling the silence with her gentle voice.

"Good, I'm feeling more confident about Sunday's game ," James replied, suppressing a yawn.

"I can't believe how quickly you chose new players," Lily commented, shaking her head. James had told her the first night of tryouts that he had pretty much cut everyone but a select few.

"Sometimes you just know," James replied. It hadn't been difficult, some of the students who showed up for tryouts had no idea which end of the broom was the front, let alone knew what Quidditch was. He had a talent for sensing talent. Their first game was coming up on Sunday, against Hufflepuff, and James wanted his team to work together flawlessly. His two new team mates were settling in nicely and he was confident they would win the game.

Nearly an hour later, James's legs were beginning to cramp. He resisted the urge to pull the Map out from his robes, it would be so much easier than gallivanting all over the castle.

They chatted about lessons and Quidditch, and silly little Muggle sports that Lily had played before getting her letter of acceptance to Hogwarts.

"Bowling, you say? You throw balls at pins? Whatever for?" James was asking as they rounded the corner near the dungeons. They both fell silent, hearing a small group of students. Their voices carried down the corridors, and James and Lily both stopped in their tracks.

"You've gotta make up your mind, who's side?"

"You know who's side I'm on," came a voice that sounded all too familiar.

"Severus?" Lily whispered, confounded. She started walking and before James could grab her arm, she was already halfway down the corridor. James quickly followed after her, spotting the group of Slytherins standing conspicuously around Severus Snape. James thought Severus looked torn as he looked at Lily, but when James came into view his expression changed to one of pure hatred.

"Oh look, a filthy Mudblood," one of Severus' housemates, Mulciber said. He leered at Lily. It was obvious he hadn't yet seen James. "It's such a shame that such a flawless body was wasted on you." His dark eyes roamed Lily's body unapologetically, and Lily glared at him, her skin crawling with disgust.

James felt a primal growl in the back of his throat. He reached Lily's side quickly, before she had time to reply. "You all need to get to your dormitories now, and if we catch you in the halls after curfew again, you'll be reported," he said, his voice low with threats and his hand firmly on his wand. How he longed to hex them into tomorrow for the comments to Lily and the way both Avery and Mulciber were looking at her. You're a Head Boy, James reminded himself, trying to reel in his anger.

"Don't get your knickers in a knot," another Slytherin, Avery, laughed. "We're going, just had a bit of hunger pains." He smiled a twisted smile and looked at Lily in a way that made James's hands clench in anger.

Avery and Mulciber gave Severus pointed looks, then they headed towards the Slytherin common room. Severus hesitated for a millisecond, then followed them, shooting dirty looks at Lily and James…especially James.

Lily took a deep breath, steadying herself. She hadn't been given the opportunity to talk, and maybe that was just as well. She probably would have demanded to know then and there if Severus Snape was planning on taking the dark mark.

"Next time, wait for me," James instructed, frustrated as he thought about all the scenarios that could have happened had he been any longer reaching Lily's side.

"I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself," Lily retorted, angry. Why did James think she was incapable?

"Against three Death Eaters?" James rolled his eyes.

"How do you know Severus is a Death Eater?" Lily's voice shook when she spoke. James had to resist the urge to take her gently in his arms. He knew she'd probably just shrug away from him.

"It's obvious," James shrugged, frowning. "Or if he isn't now, he will be by the end of the year."

"Maybe I could stop him…" Lily thought, unaware that she'd spoken aloud.

"Not a chance in bloody hell," James said. "If someone's going to take the Dark Mark, they're going to take it."

XXXX

The next few days all but flew by. Between lessons, Quidditch practice and Head duties, James was feeling pretty run down by Friday, but he knew he wasn't going to get to bed any earlier than he had been, for it was a full moon.

Remus had been missing from lessons all day. James, Sirius, and Peter hadn't made mention of it once. The last thing Remus needed was more attention drawn to his monthly disappearances.

Remus was a Lycanthrope. When he had been a small child, he was bite by a werewolf. Now, once a month when the moon was full he changed into one himself. Dumbledore lead him out to Hogsmeade through a secret passage blocked by a Whomping Willow for his monthly changes so that he wouldn't harm any students at Hogwarts.

Remus's changes were always painful and extremely isolating. When James, Sirius and Peter had discovered his secret, they'd vowed to keep him company during his monthly changes. They became unregistered Animagi, giving them the ability to be around Remus without danger. James's Animagus form was a stag, Sirius…a large dog, and Peter's was a rat.

Quidditch tryouts ended at 8pm, but James didn't go back to the Head dorm. He had brought everything that he would need with him to the Quidditch field. He didn't know if he could escape Lily's questioning gaze if he went back to their dorm. Instead, he went straight to the Gryffindor tower after tossing his Invisibility Cloak over his body.

Sirius and Peter were waiting in the Gryffindor common room. When they saw the portrait swing forward to reveal nothing but empty space, they knew James was there. They quickly made their departure from the school, all of them hidden under James's Invisibility Cloak.

Once they got to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, James tucked his Invisibility Cloak into a safe spot under a rock and the three friends made their changes into their Animagi forms.

They couldn't communicate with words while in their Animagi forms, but they had long since learned how to communicate without speaking. Sirius nodded his large head, panting, and charged off into the Forbidden Forest. James followed closely behind. He knew Peter was between them somewhere, as he was squeaking as he ran. Peter hated the Forbidden Forest, but he hated being left out of adventures even more so.

Besides, he was a key factor in their missions.

When they came to the Whomping Willow, it was still. James knew that it was a front, the tree was violent as all hell. To prove his point, a bird mistakenly landed upon one of the branches. The trees limbs started flailing about manically, striking the little bird in a crazed fury. Feathers puffed out and the tree went still.

Peter squeaked timidly, then darted towards the tree. The tree sensed him and went back into crazed Whomping mode, but Peter was small enough to avoid getting hit by the flailing tree limbs. After a moment the tree froze again, and James heard Peter's squeaking signal.

James and Sirius walked towards the tree confidently, it didn't move. The three friends darted down the passage, towards the shack where their fourth friend waited. The closer they got, the louder the desperately pained howls became. Sirius shouldered through the boarded up entrance to the shack.

James, Sirius and Peter had all grown accustomed to seeing Remus in his wolf form, and it really didn't bother them at all. Remus's howls instantly silenced when he saw his friends in their Animagi forms.

With a tilt of his regal stag head, James lead the way back out of the shack, towards the Whomping Willow. He and Sirius were big enough to keep Remus in check, so that they'd be able to roam the Forbidden Forest and school grounds, providing a very needed distraction for Remus.

The tree had resumed flailing when they finally reached the end of the passageway, Remus beside them. It took half a second for Peter to dart out from under James's hooves and hit the knot in the trunk again, stilling the tree. Remus let out an excited howl and bounced forward, James and Sirius keeping up with him at ease. Any time he got too close to the castle, James and Sirius would block him in and lead him away again.

When dawn was half an hour away, James and Sirius blocked Remus in and lead him back to the Whomping Willow to return him to the shack. Remus seemed to mope, but followed along regardless, knowing that when the sun arose in the sky, he'd be changing back to his human form and waiting for Dumbledore to fetch him. Dumbledore was always on time, so they couldn't be late.

When Remus was safely back in the shack, James nodded once to him as if to say see you later mate. He, Sirius and James darted back down the passage way and through the Forbidden Forest to the rock that they'd changed at. The sun was just beginning to rise when they all piled under the Invisibility Cloak and hastily made their way back to the castle. James made sure that Sirius and Peter got back to the Gryffindor tower unseen before heading to the Head's dorm, still hidden under the cloak.

James's body ached with fatigue, he couldn't wait to crawl into bed.

When he came through the portrait, he was startled to see Lily sleeping on the couch. A frown furrowing her delicate features. James couldn't help but take in her beauty as she slept.

After a couple of minutes, he shook himself away from thoughts of how beautiful she was and gently made his way over to the couch. He scooped her up in his arms and she didn't wake up. He tried to carry her to her bedroom, but the wards prevented him from doing so.

I wonder, he thought, trying the threshold of his own room. He was able to pass through with Lily without any resistance. He placed Lily in his bed, tucked her in and then hesitated. He wanted to crawl in beside her, take her in his arms and fall asleep with her there, but he knew she'd be thoroughly creeped out when she woke up.

Instead, he made himself comfortable on the couch and passed out within seconds.

XXXX

When Lily awoke, she was not on the couch where she'd fallen asleep not waiting for James. Disoriented, she looked around at her surroundings. The scent of masculinity and fresh air, the scent of James clung to the sheets. A photo of his parents and him and a photo of him with his friends decorated the night table.

How did I get in here? Lily wondered, tossing back the sheets and getting out of James's bed. Frowning, she quickly left his room. She heard snoring coming from the common room, so she headed there. James was sprawled out on the couch snoring, an arm over his eyes.

Lily debated on waking him up and demanding to know where he'd been all night, but she thought better of it. Instead, she left their dormitory and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Alice and Margo were already there, sitting at the Gryffindor table and eating their breakfasts. Alice was reading a letter, a wistful smile on her pretty face, and Margo was grouchily stabbing her sausages with her fork.

"Morning," Lily grumbled, falling into a seat across from them both.

"Morning," Alice replied warmly, tucking the letter into the pocket closest to her heart and smiling at her friend.

"What's into her?" Lily asked, gesturing to Margo as her own plate filled with delicious bacon, eggs, toast and sausage.

"Sirius wouldn't wake up to join us for breakfast so she's sulking," Alice replied, smiling.

"I'm not sulking," Margo grumbled, sulking.

Lily looked around, noticing that Remus and Peter were also missing. She let out a relieved sigh. If all of James's friends were just as exhausted as he was, surely that meant he hadn't been with Annabel Westlink after all.

"It is a Saturday," Alice was telling Margo. "Most people sleep in on the weekends."

"I know," Margo sighed. "It's truly not that…" she bite her lip. "I think I've fallen for Sirius."

"And you're mad because?" Alice asked, confused. To her, love was pure and simple; no questions asked. Then and again, Frank hadn't had the same reputation that Sirius and James both had for womanizing.

"I didn't want to be the one to feel it first," Margo said, her bottom lip trembling slightly. "I didn't want to feel things for Sirius."

"Then why did you start dating him?" Alice asked, perplexed. Lily bit her lip, understanding completely where Margo was coming from. Last night she'd had a lot of time to think about James and the new feelings she was feeling towards him, and she wasn't a fan of them at all. They frightened her.

"I just wanted a good shag," Margo answered sheepishly, shrugging.

Alice and Lily both started laughing and their friend's honesty. Lily was the only one in their little group who hadn't had a whole lot of experience with guys. In fact, she'd never even been kissed. Alice had only been with Frank, and Margo…well, Margo had plenty of experience in the guy department.

Lily opened her mouth to add something to the conversation, but thought the better of it when she saw Annabel and Lana walk into the Great Hall. They came to join them both at the hall. The two girls joined their housemates at the table.

Margo didn't want to discuss the Sirius thing anymore either, so their little group fell silent. Lily had plenty of time to think.

Remus was missing yesterday, and then James and probably Sirius and Peter were gone all night…she thought. She knew it was all linked, and it wasn't the first time that James and his friends had gone missing after Remus had been "sick" all day.

A dawning realization occurred to Lily, and she wrapped up a couple sausages, bacon and a few pieces of toast in her napkin.

"Where are you going?" Margo asked her as she stood up.

"Um, I left something in my dorm…"

"Yeah, James," Margo joked. Annabel looked up from her breakfast and glared at Lily. Lily ignored her, and Margo.

"See you guys later," she said, doing her best to not race out of the Great Hall.

She crept quietly into their dorm and was greeted to the sound of James's soft snoring. She crossed over the common room to the couch and sat down on the coffee table, unwrapping the napkin and holding it just in front of James's nose.

The smell of bacon and sausage awoke his senses, and he groaned as he opened his eyes. Lily's blurry vision was in front of him, holding something out in front of his nose. James fumbled for his glasses, accepting them from Lily's outstretched hand.

"You brought me food?" James asked, confused. His voice was groggy with sleep.

"Bacon and sausage," Lily replied, holding it out to him.

"You know the way to a man's heart," James joked, sitting up and stretching. "What time is it?"

"Nearly 11," Lily shrugged. She had also slept in. James nodded, stretched again and accepted the napkin from Lily.

"Where were you last night?" Lily asked as James ate. He nearly choked on the bacon.

"Excuse me?"

"You didn't come back after practice…" Lily trailed off. "Does it have anything to do with Remus?"

"What are you talking about?" James asked, guarded. He set the napkin down on the table and looked right at Lily.

"He's sick every month on the full moon," Lily shrugged, remembering a conversation that she and Severus had had a few years back.

"Your point?" James was trying to keep his guard up, but it was impossible with Lily. He just…trusted her but it wasn't his secret.

"I guess I don't have one," Lily mumbled, realizing that James would never give up a secret of one of his friends. "But…you were with them right? Not with…" she trailed off again, looking away. Her cheeks heated up with embarrassment and she scolded herself.

"Yeah, I was with the guys," James answered, trying to catch Lily's eye. "Who'd you think I was out with?"

"Oh I don't know, Annabel maybe?" Lily said spitefully, waving her arm dismissively.

"Why would I be with Annabel?" James asked, confused by Lily's stance and questioning.

"Cause she was all but bloody humping your leg in the Great Hall the other day, and she hangs off you like a leech," Lily retorted defensively.

James's smile lit up his whole face. "Are you jealous Evans?"

"No, I'm not jealous," Lily's face turned even redder, and she cursed her easily read face.

"Why are you jealous?" James asked, serious again. "What if I was seeing Annabel?" he added for effect. He wasn't seeing her, but he wanted to see Lily's reaction. Her face fell and she stuttered, trying to answer and appear nonchalant.

"I-I don't know, Annabel's irritating," Lily said, tripping over her words. She flushed again.

"I thought I was irritating?" James raised his eyebrow. Lily looked away, suddenly aware that they were super close to one another. She was sitting on the coffee table, between either of his legs and he was leaning forward, trying to catch her eye.

"You still are," Lily finally said, trying to hide a smile. James gently reached out and touched her chin, directing her face so he could look at her. His hazel eyes set her ablaze, and she forgot to breathe for a moment or two.

"I'm not seeing Annabel, or anybody," James told her, serious. He wanted to add that there was only one girl he was interested in seeing, but he hesitated.

"Well alright then," Lily said, pulling away from his touch and standing up. "I, er, told the girls I'd meet up with them. Later James…don't forget we have rounds again tonight."

Confused, James watched her leave.

What was that about? He wondered.

XXXX

The Great Hall was full of excited chatter, as the entire hall talked about the upcoming game. James piled back a large breakfast and encouraged his teammates to do the same. He was already dressed in his Quidditch robes, and he sat with his team mates as his usual pre-game motions dedicated. The Captain of the team needed to be 100% focused on his team.

And yet…he kept stealing glances over to where Lily sat. Their exchange yesterday had been…strange, to say the least.

"James," a voice said close to his ear, making him jump. He looked over to see Annabel standing beside him, a hand on his shoulder and a sedecutive smile on her face. "I wanted to wish you good luck today."

"Er, thanks," James said, moving her hand off his shoulder. Her smile faded a bit, but she leaned forward so he could see the tops of her breasts. James quickly looked away, irritated. He could feel Lily's eyes on him.

"If you win, I have a surprise for you waiting in the Gryffindor common room, but only if you win," Annabel said suggestively, trailing her fingers across the back of James's neck and walking passed to join her friends. He watched as Annabel shot a smug look at Lily's crestfallen face. Lily's expression hardened and she looked back at her plate, avoiding making eye contact for the rest of the meal.

James endured his house mates' eager wishes of good luck and left the hall with his team without getting a chance to say anything to Lily. She avoided his gaze entirely.

James and his team mates held their brooms and waited for the boom that signalled the beginning of the game.

"We got this, mates!" James said confidently to his team. "They're Hufflepuffs, for bloody sake."

His six team meats cheered. Amil Durnington, the seeker, squeezed his arm, nodding. Suddenly, the signal they were waiting through boomed, and the Gryffindor team mounted their brooms and shot out of the tower. They got into position, the three chasers facing the other teams' chasers, and so on and so forth. The referee realized all four of the balls from the central circle. James caught the Quaffle and the Gryffindors let out a roar of cheering. He tossed it expertly to Katlyn Turk, another seeker on his team, as he dodged a Bludger.

Katlyn threw the Quaffle to Thomas White, the final Gryffindor chaser, new to their team, who had positioned himself in front of the golden hoops. He effortlessly tossed it through one of them, earning Gryffindor ten points.

The game carried on, with the Gryffindor team expertly scoring goals and dodging Bludgers. The Hufflepuff team struggled to stay afloat, they weren't the greatest at dodging Bludgers which gave Gryffindor many opportunities to score.

Paul Seaborn was also new to the Gryffindor team, and he was having trouble keeping the Gryffindor goal posts, which might have been a problem if the Hufflepuff chasers hadn't kept getting bashed off their broomsticks thanks to the Bludgers. Gryffindor's two Beaters, Erik Daniels and Mark Burns were expertly bashing the Bludger's at their opponents. It was hard to believe Mark was also knew to the team.

James caught the Quaffle again, shooting it into one of Hufflepuff's unguarded gold hoops. From the looks of it, Hufflepuff was having trouble with it's new members. Half the team had graduated last year, and only two team mates had been playing together for any length of time. James almost felt bad for them.

He glanced up, searching out Amil. He saw Amil's shock of black hair and red robes against the cloudy sky, but he was just a blur as he chased after something. Hufflepuff's seeker was right on his tail. Yup, we've got it, James thought confidentially as Amil's fist closed around something and lifted into the air triumphantly.

Every Gryffindor in the stands stood up and roared with excitement. The Gryffindor's had won 150 to 50.

James tried to search Lily out in the crowd, and found her shock of red hair. She was clapping with the rest of their house, a smile on her face. He grinned back to her and blew a kiss meant for her.

It was then he noticed that Annabel was standing just in front of Lily, and she eagerly jumped up to 'catch' his kiss. Lily frowned, then turned to leave the stands.

Bloody hell, James thought before his team mates collided into him for celebratory hugs.