So, here is chapter 4… And my sincerest apologies for being absent for 2 years. If any of my former fans return to this story, I will be eternally thankful, and happy!

For my returning readers, here is a recap: Lily, Jenna, and Alicia, along with about 20 other teens, are at James' mansion, celebrating his birthday. A new girl, Lauren, has arrived, and no one knows what to make of her. They play silly games, and Lauren has a Vision of an intruder in the house. She leads James, Alice, Lily, and Sirius? into the halls to possibly find him, but he vanishes before they can see who it is. Everyone is shaken up by the incident, but it does lead to a charming moment between Lily and James the next morning. Jacob is being a toerag towards Lily, and she's starting to really fall for James.

Please, if that isn't enough to jog your memory, reread the chapters (there's only 3) and maybe you'll be as excited as you once were. Thanks!

Disclaimer: nope, still not JK Rowling.

FOUR

When all of their friends did finally wake up, Lily and James were still sitting in the kitchen, talking about the upcoming events of the week-long celebration. James' birthday wasn't until Thursday, two days away, but his relatives were arriving today, as Lily well knew. It would be a day of boredom, he assured her, and formality and uptight old witches who wanted to pinch her cheeks. She laughed when he said this, grimacing at old, painful memories.

Sirius yawned widely as he walked in, dressed in black dress pants and a black shirt, which he had not buttoned up yet, revealing a wrinkly T-shirt underneath. He was holding his belt in his hand, his hair wild. "What the hell am I doing awake?" he demanded when he laid eyes on his mate, plopping onto a stool. "Seriously, I was having awesome dreams."

"I didn't send anyone to wake you up," James told him. "So don't blame me."

"Evans?" Sirius asked her, his grey eyes accusing.

"Not me."

"Well, who the hell sent that bloody house elf around singing 'Rise and Shine' from when I was three?" he growled, looping his belt into his pants. "Lord, it reminds me of that old hag of a nanny my mother hired."

"She really was a hag," James agreed, pushing coffee towards his friend. Sirius took the cup and downed the entire contents, making a face as he finished.

Alicia wandered down next, bags under her eyes but dressed and made up in a modest, dark blue dress Lily didn't know she'd owned. She mumbled a greeting and then took coffee, adding sugar and milk.

Slowly, as if in trances, Remus, Jenna, Peter, Jacob, Alice, and all the others that had been in last night's activities made their way into the kitchen, and soon the table was full of dozy teenagers. The only one missing was Lauren Bailey.

"I dunno where she is," James murmured when Lily asked him. "Brian and Tracy didn't say she left."

"Good morning!" exclaimed a much too cheerful voice behind Lily, making her cringe. Speak of the devil, and he-or rather, she-shall appear. "Why is everyone so sleepy?" Lauren asked innocently, sliding next to James on a stool. "I thought you Brits had more stamina."

That set Sirius off, who went into a rant about how Englishmen had more stamina than any other male nationality, and not all of it was appropriate. The house elves were covering their ears as they worked, humming songs to drown out his obnoxious explanations.

The clock struck ten, and Lily sighed. The day had only begun.

As James' "girlfriend", Lily was expected to be present upon the arrival of his relatives via Floo, broom, and other various modes of transportation. It involved her mainly sitting in the main hall that she had arrived in, standing as guests came in and making small talk and then sitting back down. Despite James' description of his relatives, she did not expect the strangeness some of them radiated. She had thought of the Potters as something like a noble family; polite, modest, no weird habits or cousins.

She was sadly mistaken. She met a wizard that was covered up to his visible shoulders with tattoos of dragons and burn scars all over him; another wizard that looked like he had emerged from a cave after living there for ten years; a witch who spoke shrilly to Lily of an upcoming doomsday behind her thick glasses; one of his great-aunts actually did pinch her cheek. She watched her go, her face stinging, wondering how on Earth she was going to keep them all straight.

She envied Alicia and Jenna, who were lounging upstairs with the other students, enjoying Butterbeer and more normal company. Maybe they were even playing more of Lauren's games. Lily glanced to the other side of the room, where the girl was chatting with a tiny witch with shocking violet hair. Lily still could not believe that she had led them all into the halls last night with an intruder inside; but she admired her calm. Lily would surely have panicked.

An arm snaked around her waist, and she was pulled against James' broad chest. "How are you faring, love?" he asked dramatically, winking down at her.

"Just fine, I think. Do I sound convincing?"

"Like you've done this a million times," he assured her, and leaned down and kissed her cheek briefly. "Pity that Mum and Dad aren't here though. They made the party such a big deal so that they could meet you."

Lily grimaced at the reminder. "I will never forgive you for that, by the way," she told him.

"And why not? No bodily harm done!"

"That you know of," she muttered under her breath, so that he wouldn't hear.

"James!" A new voice called across the room, feminine and accented. It was a beautiful girl their age, Lily guessed, and had shiny black hair. She was tall, Lily noticed; something like seven inches over five feet. Dressed in a floor-length red gown that Lily would put to shame, she glided over, arms extended. "How are you?" she asked, kissing him on both cheeks. "It's been so long!"

"It has, Eva." James turned to Lily. "Lily, this is Eva Grey, an old family friend from Moscow. Eva, this is Lily Evans."

Eva bent down to kiss Lily's cheeks, and make her feel incredibly awkward. "Such a pleasure to meet you Lily," Eva gushed. "James has always said so much about you."

"That's what I've been hearing," she said dryly, glancing up at him, who looked sheepish. Before he had always been proud.

"I heard your parents couldn't come," Eva said to James, a pout on her full lips. "Such a shame; I haven't seen them in ages!"

"Neither have I," James agreed. "I'm sure they'll be happy to know you came."

"I see Marilyn there; I'll have to say hello. Nice to meet you, Lily." And she flounced off, graceful and quite nauseating.

"She seems nice," Lily said a little bitterly, not sure why she disliked the stranger so strongly.

"Eva was always a bit exuberant." James tightened his hold on her waist. "She's nothing, Lily," he murmured in her ear.

"Why do you think I care?" she whispered back, hating how much the words stung her own ears. His face fell, and he left her to go greet more guests.

House elves were wandering around, platters held high above their heads to reach the waists of the occupants of the ballroom. Lily grabbed a glass of wine off one tray, and took a healthy sip. Jealousy, she admitted, was a feeling she was not used to.

By four in the afternoon, James' guests had all arrived, and they were excused from the ballroom to see their friends. Both trekked upstairs to the casual lounge Sirius, Remus, Peter, Alicia, Jenna, Alice, Frank, Jacob, Lauren, and some of the other students had been holed up in since noon. Lily collapsed on a sofa between her two best friends, flipping her hair out of her face. "Lord," she sighed. "He has so many relatives!"

"Tell me about it," James muttered, plopping into an armchair and shoving his hand into his hair, his glasses perched on the end of his nose. "I didn't know they invited Aunt Hilda!"

Sirius grimaced. "That old hag is here?"

Lily vaguely remembered a Hilda. "She seemed nice enough," Lily said.

"Wait until you get to know her," Sirius assured her. "She's a downright conniving witch. She tried to arrange a marriage between James and Narcissa once."

"Narcissa Black?" Lily asked, horrified.

"One and the same," James growled. "Aunt Hilda means well; she just doesn't believe that the Black family could be involved with You-Know-Who."

"Well, can you blame her?" Alice was blunt. "The Blacks are a pureblood family; she wouldn't believe they could disgrace themselves so.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "My mother and Hilda have met; neither liked the other. She could believe my family is involved with the dark side. She is a bit too thick, though."

James chuckled under his breath, and rubbed his temples. "I don't want to go back down there," he groaned. "Sirius, take my place."

"Hell no!" Sirius exclaimed. "And put up with Hilda? I'd rather fight a Chinese Fireball."

"Chicken," Jenna taunted, winking at him from across the room. Frank and Jacob laughed, and Lily looked in their direction. Jacob and Frank seemed to be getting along well; actually, Jacob seemed to get along with everyone.

She doubted herself again; how on Earth had he been sorted into Slytherin if he wasn't sly and deceptive, which she insisted he wasn't?

He caught her looking at him, and winked. She looked away, mentally kicking herself. She was here for James, not Jacob.

Right?