James's View

After Sirius helped get James down and ease his frantic legs, they walked back, discussing plans of revenge.

"Well there's always the cloak; mind you we don't want to scare the muggles." Sirius said.

"I don't know mate, we'll think of something tonight." James said. "I really want to get on her good side this summer though. This could be the year."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Ever since you first saw her on the train and told me you were going to marry her, you've said every year 'could be the year' and so far none of them have been."

James sighed. It was true, but one day he really would win Lily over. James suddenly thought of something.

"Padfoot, did you ever think Voldemort might go after her and her family?" James asked.

Sirius's eyes darkened. "Well she is muggle born…but he's been keeping low for the past month. There hasn't been much fighting going on. If I didn't run away from home I could find out from Regulus." He practically spat the last words. James knew Sirius hated his brother and most of his family. "You'll have to ask your Mum and Dad to get the Ministry to put some protection on their cottage…and I expect their home as well."

James's parents were Aurors and some of the biggest blood traitors in the wizarding world. They had every enchantment set upon their cottage as possible to be sure no Death Eater could get to them.

"Yeah I really should…I'm just worried for when we go back to Hogwarts as well. You know that Slytherin lot are all Death Eaters in training."

"Yes, but Dumbledore's there. There's no way anyone would try anything under his crooked nose." Sirius said. "Plus you wouldn't think Snivellus would dare hurt his Lily Flower do you? Even if she can't stand the sight of him anymore. Don't worry about it Prongs, we'll have your parents put some charms on their house, and we'll relax this vacation. Who knows, maybe old Voldie-Poo has gone soft."

James smiled weakly. Voldemort had been at large for the past year or two. It was dark times for the wizard and muggle world, and James highly doubted that he would go 'soft'.

James and Sirius rounded a corner and nearly ran right into Petunia and Vernon, snogging. They broke apart abruptly when they realized they were not in private. James attempted to hide his laughter, but it was hard. Petunia couldn't look any less like Lily did, she was far too skinny, and had a face of a horse. It was really odd that she would pair up with such a porky guy.

"Sorry to interrupt." Sirius said, choking back laughter. "We'll just be going now."

They started to walk away, but as they did, James's wand slipped out of his pocket and rolled over to the couple, who stared at it, there was a silence as the they all tried to decide what to make of this.

"Oh look at the bird Vernon! Look! It's huge!" Petunia said in a high pitched voice, trying to switch his attention to anything other than the ground.

Vernon shrugged her off and picked up the wand. "What is this?" he asked, almost fearfully.

Sirius looked at James. James reeled his mind for an explanation.

"It's…a…a…very nice stick that we found!" James said lamely, snatching the wand away from Vernon. "We couldn't believe how straight and shiny it was…so we decided to keep it. Almost looks like a wand or something, too bad there's no such thing as magic." James shrugged and turned, Sirius followed.

When they were out of earshot Sirius rounded on him.

"You know your not going to win Lily over by telling that muggle about the wizarding world! You must be more careful Prongs. A shiny stick? Really?"

Sirius kept rambling but James didn't hear him, he was staring right over his shoulders. Lily was sitting on the dock that branched out over the lake in front of her cottage. She was staring out into the water, her hair blowing slightly in the wind. She looked…sad. Her eyebrows were knit together and her mouth in a slight frown. James wanted more than anything to go over and put his arm around her and ask what was wrong.

"-And I know I sound like Moony right now but I'm just trying to help! And…what are you looking at?" Sirius finished, noticing James wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to him.

"I- nothing, let's go." James said, snapping his eyes back to Sirius, who had turned around and was now looking to where James was a moment before.

"I should have known." Sirius said, sighing, shaking his head slightly. "C'mon mate, let's go in the house. I expect it's nearly time for dinner." He started walking off, and noticing that James wasn't following him he turned back.

"She'll be there in a few minutes." Sirius added. "Come on."

James reluctantly followed, taking his eyes off Lily, just as she turned to look over at him.