J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter. I'm just playing in her sandbox.
"James...this is...it's...I just—" Lily stumbled over her words, staring at the innocuous piece of parchment in her hands.
He rubbed the back of his neck and stared at his shoes. "I know, it probably breaks about a zillion school rules but—"
"Who cares about that?!" Lily laughed. Her fingers traced lightly over the hundreds of moving dots, each one labeled neatly in Remus' unmistakable handwriting. "James, this is seriously impressive magic. I can't believe you four managed to do this. How old did you say you were?"
Her excitement gave him hope. He peeked up at her, relaxing more at the sight of her broad smile. "Fourth year. I take it you're impressed?"
"Impressed? James, most fully trained wizards couldn't pull something off like this. How did you do it?"
"It's kind of a long story," he said truthfully. "I wasn't showing you to brag, though. And I hope your earlier agreement not to tell anyone stands."
Some of the joy fell away from Lily's face, and for a moment she seemed to waver. James held his breath.
"Of course," she said at last, and James sighed in relief. "But you said that there was more than one secret. What else could there be that's more impressive than this map?"
"I don't know if it's more impressive necessarily." James reached into a desk drawer and pulled the invisibility cloak out from where he had hidden it earlier. "But it certainly is just as rare."
Lily gaped. "Is that what I think it is?"
With a flourish, James swirled the cloak up into the air before drawing it over his body and covering his head, effectively disappearing from view the second the silvery material covered him.
"An invisibility cloak," she whispered, gazing into the empty space where James had stood just moments before.
"You can see why I'd rather you not tell people about this." His voice came from behind her now, and she whipped around, straining her ears for the sound of soft footfalls.
"I won't lie, James, this is a little disconcerting." She turned around again when she heard him laughing somewhere behind her left shoulder.
"Only a little?" He was closer now, and she reached out blindly, trying to pinpoint his location.
Suddenly, hands wrapped around her waist from behind, and she screeched.
"Gotcha!"
She twisted out of his grip and turned toward the sound of his laughter to see him gradually reappear as he pulled the cloak off.
"Okay, I take it back. That was freaky as hell."
"Language, Evans!" He pulled a shocked face, then threw the cloak at her. "Here, take a look."
"Where did you get it?" she asked, ignoring his teasing. "It must have cost a fortune. True invisibility cloaks are impossible to find."
He shrugged. "Got it from my dad, who got it from his dad, and so on. It's a family heirloom, I guess you could say. I think my father has some records of how it was passed down somewhere, but honestly, I never bothered to read them."
She rolled her eyes. "Of course not. Why would you want to find out about a priceless magical object that happens to belong to you?"
"Testy."
"Only a bit." She sighed. "And mostly because it seems you don't know how lucky you are most days."
"I'd have to be a total idiot to not know that, wouldn't I?"
She raised her eyebrows.
"Never mind," he chuckled. "Don't answer that."
She sat down at the desk and handed the cloak back to James, who folded it neatly and stuffed it into the pocket of his robes.
"So, I suppose you have a grand plan for how we're going to prevent mayhem tonight?"
He squirmed. "It isn't exactly a plan."
"Okay..."
"I think you should wear the invisibility cloak while we patrol."
"James—"
"Hear me out!" he interrupted. She sat stony-faced and silent, arms crossed over her chest. "I'm not saying you don't come out and do your job. I'm certainly not saying you don't participate in patrols. I just think, especially with what happened with Snape, that you need to take precautions."
"If we have the map, why do I need the cloak?"
"Take a look at that thing. It isn't exactly easy to follow with all the dots shifting around. I've gotten good at reading it, but things can change quickly, and it's easy to lose track of things in the heat of the moment. The cloak is just an added safety measure."
"I'm not an infant, James." She scowled at the Map, knowing that he was right. Even with most of the students in their dormitories, there would be roving faculty members, Prefects, and all the castle ghosts to account for.
"I'm sure you were a lovely baby, Evans, but I'm more interested in the grown-up version of you."
She rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile. "Fine. I'll wear the cloak. But you have to have more of a plan than that."
He shrugged easily. "Not really. Truthfully I've often found that the best way to be prepared for a Slytherin assault is to go in without any preconceived notions."
"So you don't have a plan at all?"
He threw an arm over her shoulders. "Come on, Evans. I've got you on my side. What could possibly go wrong?"
:o:o:o:o:o:
The night got off to a quiet start. Sirius had let out a loud wolf whistle when Lily and James left the common room, but the lip-locking curse that she sent over her shoulder at him stopped that nonsense quickly.
"How long will his lips stay puckered like that?" James asked, covering his laughter with one hand. Sirius was making muffled attempts at speech, turning red in the face as he tried to work his mouth.
"That jinx wears off on its own in about an hour," Lily answered with an evil grin. "But I'm sure Remus knows the counter-jinx."
"Ah, but will he use it," James mused. "That is the question. Sometimes seeing Sirius struggle for an hour is well worth the cost."
"And here I thought he was your best mate." Lily giggled.
"Sometimes true friendship requires tough love. With a healthy dose of mocking thrown in."
"Something tells me that all the mocking in the world can't make Sirius less of a pain in the arse."
James pretended to think about that for a moment. He shook his head sadly. "I think, Lily, my dear, you may just be right on the money with that observation."
Outside the Head's office, the Prefects who had been chosen for patrols were gathered and waiting for instructions. They chattered loudly, speculating among themselves about the reason for increased security. The good mood that had buoyed James and Lily from the common room fled at their excited, happy faces. Lily couldn't help but think about the danger they would be in as they patrolled that night.
"All right, chaps, eyes on me." James clapped his hands and the room quieted immediately. "I know you veterans may be curious about the extra numbers we've got assigned to tonight. Well, no use lying to you. Dumbledore is concerned about possibly Dark activity on the grounds tonight."
"Dark?" squeaked Jenna Haxley, a six year Hufflepuff with a reputation as one of the best Charms students in the school.
"Don't worry," Lily said firmly. "Dumbledore has set out extra faculty patrols. Besides, all this is just a precaution. More than likely, nothing will happen."
James marveled at how cool and confident she sounded, as if Snape hadn't as good as promised she was in danger on Halloween if she was anywhere but her dormitory. Lily Evans, as it happened, was a terrific liar.
They passed along the instructions that Dumbledore had given them, including how to get in contact with the nearest teacher if they ran into trouble.
"Nobody expects you to be a hero." James leveled a stern look on the younger students, eyes lingering on the face of one particularly defiant Ravenclaw boy. "Keep yourself safe and find an adult if things go south. Got it?"
Somberly, the gathered Prefects nodded.
"Right." Lily's bright voice belied her concern. "Out you go. Everyone has routes and schedules. Stay safe."
:o:o:o:o:o:
"This is boring." James stared at the Map and sighed deeply. It was nearly midnight and there had yet to be a single incident. He was torn between relief that absolutely nothing had happened and irritation that they had gotten so worked up.
"Be grateful," Lily scolded. She had discarded the invisibility cloak an hour earlier. "You sound like you're actually disappointed this has just been another night patrolling."
"Something feels off about the whole thing," he grumbled. "Why all the dramatics if they were just going to stay in?"
Lily didn't answer. They were sitting in their office, having completed several full circuits of the school. James had assured her it would be easier to see the whole picture by relying on the Map and going where they were needed if something happened, and the suggestion had been appealing. Every hour, a couple of pairs of Prefects had returned to their dormitories, and now, as midnight neared, Lily and James were the last two students out of bed. She watched him scowl at the Map, his dark eyebrows furrowed and a stray hair sweeping across his forehead in the exact opposite direction of the rest of his unruly mop. Her stomach swooped.
No. She shook her head and turned to face the fire. He's always been handsome, that's not the issue.
"Oh," James said suddenly. He stood up and walked to the desk, pulling out a roll of parchment. "I forgot. Found this for you."
He tossed it across the room, and she caught it automatically.
"What is it?"
"Your Head letter."
Lily squinted at the handwriting on the outside of the scroll and recognized Dorotea Brooks' meticulous script. Her jaw dropped.
"How did you— Where?"
"Restricted Section, behind a rather gruesome book about dark curses and their effects. I didn't read it," he added quickly, seeing the flash in her eyes that usually predated a storm.
"I looked in the Restricted Section!" Once again, James had gained the upper hand somehow, and she found herself floundering, reaching out for anything she could grab onto that would even the score. She hesitated, began to unroll the parchment, and then stopped when James made a startled sound.
"What?"
"I don't believe it." James swore and stood up quickly, looking around for his wand. "They weren't even in the bloody castle."
"Who wasn't in the castle? James, you aren't making any sense!"
He tapped the Map with his wand and muttered, "Mischief managed. Come on, Evans, we've got to get going or we'll miss them!"
She followed him at a run, not stopping to pick up the invisibility cloak, which was draped over her armchair. "Shouldn't we get Dumbledore or McGonagall or someone?"
"No time. Hurry up or we won't get there in time!"
She sprinted after him, taking a staircase two at a time just to keep him in sight. "Potter, wait! Where are we going?"
She hadn't kept her voice down, and the shouting echoed a little across the empty corridor. He didn't answer, and she lost sight of him, running with the speed borne of long days on the Quidditch pitch.
"Bloody hell!" Lily held the stitch in her side and gasped, still jogging doggedly after him. "Damn."
She rounded the corner and collided with someone else, flying backwards and landing on her backside. It took her a moment to scramble for her wand, and by then she recognized the person she had so rudely plowed into.
"Goodness gracious, Miss Evans!" Professor Flitwick straightened his glasses and sat up. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"I'm sorry, Professor." Her mind was racing, trying to come up with a reason that James would be sprinting through the school without mentioning the Map. "It's just…James thought he heard something."
"Heard something?" The Charms professor was nonplussed.
"Yes." She remembered his words. They weren't in the Castle. "We were patrolling and he thought he heard something near the Great Hall. At the school's entrance. He went ahead and I was running to catch up. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you coming."
"I heard you, though, Miss Evans." They stood up, both dusting off their robes. "Shall we go see to Mr. Potter, then?"
She nodded gratefully, her stomach twisted in knots. Whatever James had seen, it had infuriated him, which surely meant the Slytherins were involved. She worried about him taking on a whole group of the evil gits herself.
If any of them hurt him, I swear to Merlin I'll… She almost laughed as she hurried just ahead of Flitwick. James would be positively gleeful if he knew how protective she was feeling right then. And then he'd probably take the mickey out of her. The idea that James Potter wasn't perfectly capable of taking care of himself, even up against a whole bunch of Slytherins, was preposterous.
He wasn't on the ground floor, and the Great Hall and the entryway was clear, but Lily could hear voices coming up the stairway that led to the corridor off of the kitchens.
James was there, pointing his wand at three Slytherin boys, Snape, Nott, and Avery. They stood in a point formation, wands drawn. James and Snape were staring each other down, each practically snarling. It didn't look as though any spells had been exchanged, but from the looks on their faces, it wasn't for lack of desire.
"What's the meaning of this, Mr. Potter?" Professor Flitwick squeaked.
"This gents were out of bed, Professor." James voice was calm, despite the tension that rolled off of him in waves. "I caught them coming in from the grounds."
"Lies," Snape said coolly. "We were headed to the kitchens for a late night snack."
"Wands away, boys," Professor Flitwick said sternly. "Mr. Potter, what did you see exactly?"
None of the four boys lowered their wands.
"I found these three sneaking in from the entrance hall. Wasn't hard to figure out where they were coming from. Their dormitory is in the opposite direction."
"Mr. Snape?"
"We were only having some fun, Professor." His sunken eyes flicked to Lily's face for a moment. "We weren't coming from our common room."
"Where were you coming from then?" Lily demanded. James' eyes never left Snape's face, but she saw his shoulders tense at the sound of her voice.
"None of your business, mu—"
"Shut up, Nott." Snape cut his friend off before he could finish the word.
"All right, that's quite enough," Flitwick said sternly. "I will escort the three of you to your common room. Professor Slughorn will speak with you in the morning. Wands down, gentlemen, or I'll be forced to take them from you."
Slowly, the boys lowered their arms, dropping their wands to their sides.
"Good lads." The tiny professor sounded relieved. "Now, back to your common room with you. Let's go. Mr. Potter, Miss Evans? I believe your rounds are over. The staff will take it from here."
Lily and James didn't move until Professor Flitwick and his three charges were out of sight.
"They weren't wandering around the castle." James gritted his teeth furiously and turned on his heel, heading back up toward Gryffindor tower. "I saw them coming in from the grounds. I saw it and I couldn't say anything."
He swore and kicked at the wall. Lily reached out a tentative hand and touched his shoulder. He froze.
"I saw them, Lily." There was resignation in his voice now, and he slumped into her touch.
"I know."
He didn't move, and she squeezed his shoulder hesitantly. He sighed.
"I was worried you were going to get into a duel."
James shook his head and moved, reluctantly letting her hand fall away. "I would have, but for all their talk they didn't seem to be in the mood to sling curses. I wish I knew what they were doing on the grounds."
"We'll probably never know," Lily said sensibly. "For now, I'm exhausted. We made it through the night with no casualties, and those Slytherins will probably end up with detention. I'd say that's a pretty successful night, partner."
She hooked her arm around his and tugged, leading him back the way they came. He yawned loudly, and she laughed.
"Past your bedtime, Potter?"
"Definitely." He stifled another yawn. "I normally turn in by eight o'clock with a warm glass of milk."
"Yep, that sounds like you."
He gave her a playful shove. "Watch it, Evans."
"What? You said it, not me."
"Might I remind you that I just did something very responsible and did not curse the daylights out of those three idiots?"
"You're practically a middle-aged house witch," Lily said with a mocking grin. "How the marauder has fallen."
"As a reward for my responsible behavior, I think you should let me read your Head letter. It's only fair, after all. You read mine."
"I don't even know what it says yet!" Lily protested.
"Well, you can read it first. I'm not picky."
"How generous."
"I thought so."
They reached the Fat Lady's portrait, where the guardian of Gryffindor tower was snoring quietly.
"Oy!" James said loudly. She didn't respond. "Excuse me! Hello?"
She sputtered awake, opening one sleepy eye. "Yes?"
"Leonis."
The portrait swung open and they climbed through the hole. Lily could feel her energy lagging. After being on high alert all day and all evening, her body was crashing.
"Tell you what," she said, holding back a yawn of her own, "I'll read it, and as long as it doesn't contain anything terribly embarrassing, you can see it. Deal?"
James paused, pretending to consider the offer. "Deal."
He stuck out his hand, and she took it, shaking it with mock solemnity. There was a moment, right before he let go, where he could have sworn she hesitated. Then it passed.
"Good night, Evans."
"Good night, Potter."
A/N: Thanks for reading!
