Disclaimer: Still not mine. :)
The walk back to the Griffyndor common room was long and distressing. Lily was more tense than the marauders had ever seen, and they had seen (and caused) some of her most stressful life events.
Eventually, after a general amount of shuffling and rebuking one another, the marauders-plus-one manage to form a pack to encircle the pale girl for transportation. Remus, having some experience with muggles, soon explained to the others how those without sight adapted without magic, and though Lily vehemently refused the cane that was procured for her by the dashing Sirius Black, they soon came to an agreement and left the hospital wing. Lily had her arm laced through Remus' who was inconspicuously acting as her 'sighted guide'. ("Like a guide dog?" Peter had exclaimed joyfully, much to Sirius' chagrin and Lily's bafflement.) However, any (of Lily's) hopes of flying under the radar were in vain, because, of course, the Marauders had to inject their own flair to the mix. Acting as body guards, the other three marauders had flanked the pair, with Peter leading their awkward triangle, and the two raven haired boys just behind the guide and the guided. It made for an interesting walk, as Thursday's classes had just let out.
"I can feel everyone staring," Lily muttered to Remus panickedly.
Remus patted her hand comfortingly. "No one's staring at you, Lily. Now, Sirius and James... Well.. They're.." he trailed off, shaking his head at the two boys.
"What are they doing?" Lily asked, near frantically.
"Well, they've transfigured their school robes into black muggle suits, and one of them transfigured large black muggle sunglasses." he shook his head, before remembering she couldn't see him. "I knew that letting Padfoot watch all of those spy movies was a terrible idea.."
Lily's face reddened even more, groaning as she buried her head in Remus' arm. "Just get me to my dorm, please, Remus." her voice was muffled, the tips of her ears red.
They reached the portrait, and the fat lady stared at the procession the marauders had gathered.
"pumpkin pasty," said Peter, ignoring her incredulous eyes.
The portrait swung open ever so slowly, still craning to get a look at what was going on. Peter pushed it open before turning to Remus and sweeping his arm dramatically towards the open door. James and Sirius turned to address the crowd as Remus and Peter helped Lily through the hole.
"Evans has been through hell the past week," Sirius started, looking fierce in his dark glasses and suit.
"So we'd appreciate it if you all would leave her alone." James began. "And you will be leaving her alone." he smiled evilly.
"Evans has been taken into the care of the Marauders. Anyone who messes with her, messes with us. And I'm sure we all know what happens when we displease the majestic marauders." Sirius slid his shades down to better glare at the students, pausing to wink at a group of fourth year girls, who tittered excitedly.
"Now, if you'll excuse us," James said.
Sirius grinned once more. "We'll be on our way." And with that they darted through the portrait hole, transfiguring their attire back into school uniforms. They made their way over to the other half of their group sitting around the fireplace.
Remus looked pained at their gleeful expressions.
"You didn't hex anyone, did you?"
"Nope!" James laughed. "Did you get her to their dorm?"
Peter nodded. "Alice came down and got her."
"Poor Red." Sirius said solemnly.
All of the marauders stared at him.
"Now every girl in the school is going to be after her!"
James looked horrified, as Remus and Peter rolled their eyes.
"Siriusly, though." he grinned at his pun. "Alice is gonna have a bloody good time. I bet Red's up there freaking out."
"What am I going to do, Alice?" Lily sighed. She flopped an arm over her face, one leg sprawled off of her bed. Her empty eyes gave a glazed look to the ceiling.
"I don't know, Lily." Alice said simply.
Lily glared in her best friend's direction. The effect was ruined by a error of several feet. "Helpful. How am I going to live life like this, Alice? I wanted to be an healer! How am I supposed to help others if I can't even take care of myself? I'll never even have my own family! What am I going to do?"
Alice walked over to the distraught female, shoving limbs over to clear a spot to sit. She patted Lily's shoulder comfortingly. "It'll be okay, Lils.. Promise. You'll always have the marauders and me!"
"I don't want them anywhere near me!" Lily screamed, then began sobbing.
Alice pulled her into a hug. "Listen, Lily. I know you hate them. I know. But you have to see sense. They risked their lives to rescue you! Madam Pomfrey doesn't know if Black's leg will ever be the same, and Potter still has the leftovers from a black eye. They even brought Snape to the hospital wing, just for you! You know how much they hate Snape.."
Lily sniffed, sitting up. "Is Sev okay? I wanted to ask, but I didn't think the marauders..." she trailed off.
Alice sighed. "Snape is fine. He woke up about an hour after the attack. Madam Pomfrey let him go on Monday, after classes let out."
Lily was visibly relieved. "Oh good," she breathed, falling back onto her bed. "He tried to protect me, you know."
Alice raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "He did?"
Lily nodded solemnly. "Yeah."
She appeared lost in thought for a moment, then asked,
"So, where are Mary, Marley, and Kayla?
"Lily, you're avoiding the topic at hand again." Alice prodded.
Lily grumbled. "Fine. Answer my question, then we can talk about the stupid marauders."
Alice rolled her eyes, "Mary and Kayla are watching the Hufflepuff Quidditch team practice. Last I heard, Marley was riding skateboards around the black lake with Joshua Johnston."
Lily rolled her eyes, laughing at the two boy crazies. "Marley's got another skateboard?"
Alice grimaced. "Yeah... I guess she finally figured out how to transfigure one."
"I knew she wasn't in the library to work on her grades!"
"We all knew she wasn't studying, Lily." Alice reminded with a grin. "Just be glad it didn't turn out like her last idea. The basement hallways still smell like charcoal."
Lily shuddered, groaning dramatically. Alice just chuckled.
"So. Marauders." She said, poking Lily in the ribs.
Lily jumped a bit at the contact, then frowned, her eyes staring blankly into the distance. "I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know, Lily? You have the hottest guys in school at your beck and call, and all you can say is 'I don't know'? Sirius Black, king player extrordinare, was injured while saving you! He's still got a limp! And you wanna know the best part?"
"What's the best part?" asked Lily tiredly.
"Last night, some girl told him off about disfiguring himself for.." she paused awkwardly, excitement momentarily forgotten.
"For?" Lily prompted.
Alice nervously drummed her fingers on Lily's leg. "Someone like.. Someone who's parent aren't.. You know..." she trailed off.
Lily sighed. "Oh. You mean a mudblood."
Alice started, grabbing her friend by the shoulders. "Don't you EVER call yourself that. If you weren't blind, I'd slap you."
Lily grumbled, then brushed Alice off her. "Fine, fine. What's so great about that?"
Alice bounced back into her glee, exclaiming, "He told her that it was worth it! And that you were loads more worthy than her or any of those pure-blood maniacs. Sirius Black! First time I've ever seen him serious, which is quite ironic, If you think about it.." she trailed off, muttering to herself about irony and spelling and eventually muffins.
Lily just ignored her, pausing to work out the last few minutes. After a while of puzzling, during which Alice had shouted, "Ah-HA! Of course it would be the pumpkin...", Lily finally broke the silence.
"Black really said that?"
Alice blinked owlishly, then focused her attention back on her blind best friend. "He did, Lily."
Lily nodded to herself, looking frazzled. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again.
Alice patted her shoulder again, then gave her a hug. "It'll be okay, dollface."
Lily groaned at the nickname, but her rebuke was cut short by a male yell.
"Oh ALICE! ALI-KINZ! BABY! SHNUK-UMS!" Frank bellowed from the foot of the stairs.
Alice's face went red, and she jumped up from the bed, running into the hallway before he got too many embarrassing names in. Lily stood up, pausing for a moment to gain her bearings. Using her hands to feel her way to the door, Alice and Frank's conversation became audible.
"You promised you'd teach me everything I need to know about your family!" Frank pleaded from the bottom of the stairs.
Alice glared at him, walking halfway down the staircase. "Lily needs me right now!"
Frank looked guilty, glancing back at the marauders who nodded encouragingly. "The guys are more than willing to take care of her..." he trailed off as he caught the furious expression on his girlfriend's face.
"They put you up to this?" she asked, her voice menacingly low.
Frank put his hands up, backing away as she walked down the rest of the stairs, glaring. "It-it's not like that! I-we-you-" his sputtering was cut off, however, by the fact that Lily had just appeared at the top of the steps. Eyes hazy and unfocused, she was concentrating very hard on finding the railing with her outstretched hands. Which is probably why she didn't realize how close she was to the steps.
She took a small step forward, her face taking on a panicked expression as her foot failed to find solid ground, and she began tumbling down the stairs. The marauders immediately raced over. Peter cast a slowing charm on the flailing girl as James leaped onto the stairs, arms wrapping around Lily as the stairway melted into a slide to protest the male presence. Sirius hurriedly transfigured the couch into a few large pillows, just in time for the damsel and her rescuer to hit them. A large cloud of feathers puffed into the air, then gently began raining down on them.
Remus leaned in to check for injuries. "Prongs? Are you two okay?"
James chuckled. "I'm fine. I think Lily here is bleeding though."
He looked mildly concerned, but still smiled when he realized she was clinging to him. He rubbed her back, whispering comfort that only she could hear.
"Lily," Remus tried again. "Are you okay?"
She sighed, removing her arms from around James. "I'm okay.. I think I hit my head though." She put a hand to her forehead, then stuck it out in front of her. "Is this blood?"
James chuckled. "Yup.. Most certainly blood."
Lily paled, "Oh Merlin."
"What's wrong, Evans?" Sirius asked.
"Blood." was all she said, and her face looked pinched as her eyes screwed themselves shut.
Sirius looked rather amused. Peter looked confused. "You're afraid of blood? You- the girl who helps Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing?"
"I'm fine when it's not MY blood!" she gulped, grabbing the front of James' shirt so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
Remus flicked his wand, healing her forehead. James muttered a spell under his breath, vanishing the blood from the trembling girl in his lap. "It's gone now."
"Promise?" Lily asked, still half clinging to his shirt.
"Promise." James assured. Lily let go of his shirt, but stayed in his lap.
Sirius and Peter's stomachs both growled loudly. They looked down at James before looking up at Remus.
"Kitchen time!" they exclaimed gleefully, grabbing the poor werewolf by either arm.
"James, Lily," Remus asked over his shoulder as he fought against the two preschool escapees. "You guys coming?"
James shook his head, not looking away from the still-trembling girl in his lap. "Nah, We'll meet you down there later."
Remus nodded, following Peter through the portrait hole. Sirius nodded at James before running after them.
James tentatively stroked her hair as they sat in silence. Eventually she grew still, color returning to her face. Yet still they sat in comfortable silence in their throne of pillows, Lily in his lap, rocking slowly back and forth.
After several minutes, Lily broke the silence. "Why are you guys being so nice to me?"
The bespectacled boy puzzled her question over for a moment before answering. "Why wouldn't we?"
"Well, you've never had a problem with being bullies before." she snapped angrily.
He winced, but said nothing.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" she asked, thoroughly angry.
"No." he stated, quietly. He changed the subject. "Would you like to go down to the kitchen with the guys? I can have Moony find Alice once we get there, if you can't stand being around us."
She appeared taken-aback, but let it go. "Sure." she seemed to realize where she was, because she blushed and proceeded to disentangle herself from his lap. "Sorry about that. I thought I was clumsy with my sight. But I'm a nightmare without it."
He grinned. "Don't worry. I'm sure me and the guys can escort you everywhere."
She groaned. "Ugh. Just what I wanted. To be babysat by the biggest prats in all the school."
She grew silent at his lack of a response.
He stood up, reaching down to grab her hand. "Ready to go?" he asked as he hauled her to her feet.
She nodded.
"So, uh, how would you like to do this?" he asked, unsure of how to guide her.
She frowned. "I really don't know. Remus seemed to have a good system though.." she held out her hand. "Can I have your arm?"
He brushed her hand with his own, then brought it to his arm.
They made their way out of the common room, James carrying her through the portrait hole.
"The rumor mill is going to have a field day with this," Lily sighed.
"Surely I can't be as bad as you think!" James exclaimed half teasingly.
She frowned. "I don't know, Potter. I don't know."
And for the first time since the incident, James was glad she was blind, because he couldn't keep the hurt off of his face.