Pain
Candice fingered Dumbledore's wand, running her fingers up and down the cold, knobby surface. With one hand, she reached up to tuck her brown hair behind her ear. She was stalling. Finally, she spoke.
"Everyone."
She spoke the word quietly, but the charm made it reverberate across the Great Hall. The echoes caused everyone to stop and stare at her. Like the day that she had convinced Lily to go to the ball, the stares continued because of who she was. Candice Dales. She was a legend. She was the heiress, the actress, the model. The students quieted and sat down in their chairs. They wanted to hear her speak.
"I have an announcement to make." The emotions that had consumed her began to wane, her confidence was running low. She had to say her piece before she lost the nerve. "I am no longer Candice Dales." She dropped Dumbledore's wand, no longer needing the charm. Instead she seized up her own. "I am no longer going to be an actress or a model. I am not going to be my parents' heir." She raised her wand to her hair. The tension was tangible in the air. One person in particular couldn't take his eyes off of her. "I am going to stay in Russia and be a Healer for the disadvantaged and poor." She whispered a charm and slashed. Her beautiful, brown, curly, Victorian hair fell to the floor.
Gasps pierced the silence. The materialistic girls' gasps first. Candice had been their idol. Gorgeous, rich girl. She was what they had aspired to be. As her locks of hair fell to the ground, so did her image.
The guys' gasps were second. This was the girl of their dreams. Even though most of them would never dare make a move, not with the Marauders there to protect her, this was the girl that they had fantasies about.
The other gasps weren't audible. They were demonstrated through open mouths and amazed looks. These were the people that actually knew Candice. They knew that she would succeed. All others expected this to be a hoax, an extortion to get more money from her parents. A few expected her to try it and fail miserably. Rich girls weren't brought up to deal with poverty. And that was what she would deal with if she went through with her plan, poverty and despair.
James, Remus, and Peter made up a portion of the third group. Peter and Remus were frozen in their seats, shocked by the announcement. Candice had been an integral part of their life, and now she was finally leaving. James was slightly more vocal in his shock; his very nature made him so. He jumped up and swore.
"James Potter," Dumbledore said mildly. James flushed and sat back down. His mouth was still moving, forming the words. He was losing everyone.
Daniel made up his own group. He was laughing, liking the irony. At the very least, Candice wouldn't be around to remind him of this day.
Lily's reaction was anticlimactic. Her mouth dropped open for a second before she closed it. And then she smiled.
Candice looked for none of them, though. Her eyes searched through the crowd, looking for that one person. But he was no longer there.
Candice found him walking through the bushes. "Hey," she said softly. She bent down and slipped off her heels. She slipped her fingers through the straps and swung them gently. She matched her pace to Sirius's.
Sirius didn't answer for a long moment. His hands were in his pockets, forcing his jacket up. His tie was undone and jacket open. The appearance would have been casual any other night; tonight it was heart-breaking. "When did you decide?" Sirius finally asked.
Candice was looking at him well she answered. She desperately hoped that he would look at her, that she could know what he was feeling. She wanted to read him emotions. Her voice was quavering when she answered, breaking with emotion. "Last month."
"And this is how you tell me?" Accusatory, angry.
The words struck at her heart. "I didn't tell any of the others." She was defending herself against the accusation. Candice was trying to explain her actions.
The words were ill-chosen. Sirius didn't want to be just 'one of them.' He wanted to be special. He had thought that he was.
"Fine," Sirius answered. He quickened his pace. Long legs allowed him to easily leave Candice behind.
Candice caught up, almost jogging. She placed her arm on Sirius's, forcing him to stop, to pause, to look at her. Sirius did so against his will. His body finally betrayed him. A scowl passed his face, rage or tears in his eyes. He was hurt and it finally showed.
"I didn't know how to tell you," Candice confessed.
"You should have tried!" Sirius accused. The pain had found an outlet: rage. He quickened his pace yet again. He was almost jogging himself now.
A tear streaked down Candice's cheek. Her long, red dress fluttered around her legs as she stopped walking altogether. She had known Sirius for fifteen years; she should have known what his reaction would be. "I'm leaving tomorrow at seven fifty. I invited everyone else to come say good-bye. Will you be there?" She waited for his answer but Sirius just kept walking. Candice stood watching, until her best friend vanished into the night. She watched his blurred outline become smaller, closer to the ground. Finally, when there was nothing left to watch, she watched the stars.
They gathered at Candice's hotel the next day. First, James arrived by himself. Shortly after, Peter and Remus arrived. They were all rubbing their eyes and dragging their fingers through their hair. It was early in the morning, too early.
Lily slunk in a few minutes later. She was holding the dress draped over her left arm. In her right, she held a bag full of the accessories. She wanted to return them to Candice before she left. She also wanted to thank her. Candice had only been there for two weeks, but already it felt like so much more.
"Hey," Candice greeted them. A smile adorned her face. Her expression brightened even more as they returned the greetings with hugs and kisses.
"So you're really leaving?" Remus asked.
Candice laughed and nodded her head. "Yeah," she answered, "I'm really leaving."
James gave the last hug, not wanting to admit how much losing Candice would mean to him. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "No worries. He'll come. Go have fun in Russia." Candice smiled weakly. James knew her too well.
Lily stepped forward to hand Candice the dress. Her arm brushed against James, letting off a spark of electricity. James stepped back, startled, and Lily blushed. She thrust the dress into Candice's hands. "Thanks," Lily mumbled.
"No problem," Candice answered. She took the dress from Lily, stared at it for a quick second, then handed it back. "You keep it."
Lily's mouth dropped open. She couldn't even begin guessing how much the dress had cost. The accessories she did know. The only reason Candice has successfully talked Lily into them was because Candice had promised she would wear them after Lily. "I couldn't," she stuttered.
"Keep it," Candice repeated. "Besides, I would never look right in the dress. The person," me "who bought the dress obviously wasn't thinking of me when they did. And it looks absolutely stunning on you." She gave the guys a significant look.
"Stunning," Peter echoed. Remus nodded his agreement. James remained stoic in his silence.
"Um…thanks," Lily said. She placed a charm on the dress so it would hang in the air without getting dirty. This allowed her to lean forward and give Candice a big hug. "I'm going to miss you."
"Besides," Candice murmured into her ear, "you need beautiful shoes to take you beautiful places."
Candice glanced at her watch, a remnant of her acting days, and back up at Remus. "Its seven fifty. I told the head healer I would be there at eight." Her eyes were misted over, her voice uncertain.
Remus swiveled his head. "I don't know where he is." He stepped forward and enveloped Candice in an embrace, trying to make her forget about the absence. "Heal some sick people for us," he joked.
"Yeah," Candice answered distractedly.
He stepped backwards and made a shooing motion with his hand. Candice offered a weak smile in return. She turned on the spot, and with a gun shot sound, she was gone.
"She's really gone," Peter stated the obvious.
"Yeah," someone echoed Candice's reply. "She's really gone."
Sirius stepped out into the open. His black hair hung around his shoulders. A black sweater clung to his shoulders.
James smiled. He had been right. Sirius had come; it was just too late.
Lily had the opposite reaction. "Sirius!" she screamed. "Why aren't you going after her? If you love her, you go after her. It's that simple. Are you satisfied with watching her leave from a distance? How can you call yourself a man?" She ran out of breath on the last sentence. Her face was already bright red. Her words were incoherent, but the meaning was clear.
Sirius started chuckling softly. Lily looked at him like he was insane. Sirius raised one hand to his mouth and laughed some more before explaining. "That's what I always liked about you, Evans." Lily continued giving him the insane look. "You have courage that I never had. You always say what you mean." Lily loved the compliment, but it broke her heart. She had just told the man that she liked to go chase the woman he loved.
"Not the point right now," Remus chimed in.
Sirius reached over and picked up a bag. "How about this?" He answered simply. His friends' heads looked from the bag, to him, back to the bag. "I'm going after her," he told them.
Lily couldn't decide which was greater: the joy that Sirius was chasing Candice, or the pain that he was leaving her.
Sirius turned to look at James, wondering how the news would be taken. James looked at his feet for a few seconds before meeting Sirius's eyes. The two guys weren't so good at the emotional stuff. James scuffed his shoes against the ground before finally talking. "Have a good time in Russia." He said it quietly, but in the silence it was crystal clear.
Sirius inclined his head, acknowledging the comment. Their friendship was broken, but it would mend. He turned on the spot and was gone. The three remaining boys turned around and left Hogsmeade. There was no reason for them to stay anymore.
Lily stood watching the spot that Sirius had abandoned long after everyone else had left. The last few weeks played over and over again in her head and her emotions swirled.
Pain. Happiness. Bliss. Bewilderment. Heartbroken. Pain.
The emotions cycled and Lily was overwhelmed. She pulled the flower out of her pocket; the wilted rose the Marauders had given her three weeks ago. The thing that had cemented her connections with the Marauders, with Sirius. He had saved her because she had received this. Serendipitous.
The emotions cycled. Happiness. Grief. Joy. Despair. Pain.
Lily raised her wand and fire gently flared from the top. She touched the flower to it and watched as it caught fire. She released it into the wind, watched it float away. It caught quickly, as dead things do. She turned around as it was flying and walked away from the scene.
Pain. Delight. Angst. Pain. The emotions cycled and Lily was once again consumed.
The three Marauders walked side by side, their arms swinging. They had just finished eating at one of the local pubs and were returning to Hogwarts. Remus ran his hand through his hair, a habit he had pick up from James .His shaggy, brown hair managed to stay in place, though. "I can't believe that Sirius went after her," he mused.
Peter nodded his agreement. His nose twitched as he answered, as if he caught a scent in the wind.
"I didn't think that he had the guts." It was a fair comment. Sirius had been noncommittal his entire life. He floated through life, the Marauders and Candice his only connection to it.
Remus nodded his head in answer. "The really unbelievable thing is that Lily told him to go. I always thought that she was desperately crushed on him."
James laughed his usual arrogant self. He slipped his hand into his pants' pocket. "I told you that she never liked him."
Peter rolled his eyes at the comment.
"Still," Remus deliberated. "If Sirius ever came back because things didn't work out with Candice, Lily would still be here."
James considered the point. He also considered how Lily had looked in the dress last night.
The three walked in silence for a few moments longer before Peter picked up the conversation. He began talking about the recent Quidditch match between his team and Remus's.
"Right, James?" Peter asked. The topic had lasted the entire way to Hogwarts. Remus was gloating. Peter was promising revenge in the next match.
"Uh huh," James answered distractedly. He found Lily and watched her walk across Hogwarts' grounds, her head held high. She ignored the cat calls and remarks her peers shouted at her. She held herself like an impoverished queen, with dignity in the face of scorn.
Peter, encouraged by the support, shot off another remark at Remus.
"How could you agree with that?" Remus asked, offended.
"I'll see you guys later," James said, not paying any attention at all. He waved at them and walked in the opposite direction.
xXx
Lily walked. It had been hours since Sirius and Candice had left and she had just managed to block it out of her head. Emotions were tightly locked within a room and they weren't coming out.
She was on her way to meet Chase, like she had promised. A promise she had to keep. Chase wanted her to help him with Potions. A subject he despised already, it was worse at Hogwarts with the stricter curriculum. He was receiving Ts on most of his potions…when he could get the sludge out of the cauldron to present it.
"Lily!"
Someone called her name. She didn't think it was significant. They had been chanting her name all week, trying to annoy her. The punishments were worse when Chase was around, but still bad enough when he wasn't. But then she realized why she had been able to hear her name so distinctly, the silence. Everyone else had stopped taunting her and was continuing on their way to class. She realized who had spoken.
"James," she greeted him warily. The wind whipped through the air, rustling the leaves. It masked the words, making them hard to understand.
The wind blew even harder; the Whomping Willow creaked. "Go on a date with me tomorrow. Three o' clock in front of the mermen statue in Hogsmeade." James was terse, to the point. He gave a command, not a question.
Lily strained trying to hear his words. She picked out date, tomorrow, three, and merman. Enough to pierce the sentence together, but she didn't quite believe it. "What?" she asked, talking loudly.
James took it as an insult. He thought Lily sounded offended, not questioning. "Don't expect me to repeat it. Just be there!" He spun on his heel and walked away. Dramatic exit, surely. But also rather melodramatic.
Lily continued to stand there, shocked into immobility for the second time that day. She ran the words that she had heard through her head in succession. Finally, she shrugged it off. James hadn't spoken to her in a week. Why would he want to go on a date now? She picked up her pace and left to keep another appointment. She was supposed to meet Chase.
James held up two shirts wordlessly. Remus and Peter both pointed at the same one in unison. James dropped the other one and slipped his arms through their selection. He began buttoning up the shirt well staring into Peter's mirror.
"So tell me," Peter began. He dropped his magazine onto the floor and stretched. Finally he stopped with his back against the headboard. "Why are we picking out your clothes for you?"
James buttoned the last button and turned around to face them. "I have a date with Lily Evans." He couldn't stop the arrogance or the happiness from creeping into his voice.
"Then wear the other shirt," Peter directed. Remus nodded as James sighed.
"Why this shirt now?" James asked, irritated. He pulled off the previous shirt and began working on the other.
"It accents your eyes," Remus said deadpan. James turned around, startled by the comment. Remus burst out laughing. "Seriously, it's just fancier," Remus explained.
"Where you guys going anyway?" Peter asked.
James walked towards the exit, snagging his jacket on the way past. "Just a place I know." He shrugged off all of the effort he had put into picking out the place and walked out of the dormitory. He checked his watch and speeded up his pace. It was already two thirty and a fifteen minute walk to Hogsmeade. He didn't want to be late. James shook his head to get rid of the rain and smiled.
Lily tapped her quill against the paper and sighed. "Three quills, not five," she repeated. She watched Chase blush and toss three of the quills back into his bag. It was like having Kai back again. Even after their study session yesterday, Chase was hopeless. Lily was bleakly hoping that another one the day after would help, but she doubted it. She raised her hand to stop Chase from stirring the potion in the wrong direction.
"Thanks, Lily," Chase said. He dropped his spoon and collapsed onto the table. "I don't think I would manage to survive without you."
Lily laughed. "You would do just fine," she reassured him.
Chase shook his head in denial. "No, I would crash and burn without you. You know that. Besides, you were always like that. You stood up for everything you believe in. That's why half the guys were in love with you with you at our old school. You were just so nice."
Lily reached out and grabbed his hand again. She took his measuring cup away and handed him a larger one. She pointed at the directions again to make sure he understood them. Her sleeve pulled back as she did. Her watch flashed at her.
Seven o' clock.
"You know what, Chase? I have to go. I'm sorry. I can help you again tomorrow." She jumped up and pulled down her shirt. It was the weekend, so she was dressed in what passed as normal clothes for her: t-shirt and jeans. Muggle clothes.
Chase nodded. "Alright. I'll just finish this by myself." He picked up the measuring cup with the intention of dumping it into the cauldron.
"No!" Lily leaned forward and grabbed the measuring cup again, slightly panicked. She put it down on the table next to him. "Why don't you just wait for me to help you tomorrow?" she suggested.
Chase sighed but nodded. Lily offered him a weak smile and began the walk down to Hogsmeade. She wondered if James would still be waiting there.
James stood in front of the merman statue, a smile playing at his lips. He checked his watch. 2:45.
He pulled his jacket collar higher, soaked to the bones. 3:30.
He paced back and forth, impatient. The rain poured unceasingly. 4:00.
James finally gave in and leaned against the statue. His energy was sapped. This girl had better have a brilliant excuse. And not one like Chase was dying; that wasn't nearly good enough. He weakly raised his arm up to his face and checked his watch. It was 6:30.
xXx
Lily cast a charm over her head, repelling the rain. Her shoes splashed through the puddles as she reached the last turn.
xXx
"James!"
Lily ran forward, shocked. Water splashed around her as she ran. "James!" Lily repeated.
The rain fell unceasingly on James. It was clear that he hadn't cast the same charm that Lily had. His face was flushed as he wobbled back and forth.
"Lily," he said weakly. His wobbling increased. He took a step forward, trying to reach her, hand out. His legs crumbled beneath him and James collapsed.
"James!" Lily called for the third time. She sprinted forward, trying to catch him before he hit the pavement. She only succeeded in catching his head, cradling it in her lap. She couldn't help thinking that it was her fault that he was like this.
James looked up at her with accusing eyes. "You're late."
"I know," Lily admitted. "Now you need to get somewhere warm. Why didn't you cast a repelling charm on yourself, idiot?" She slid her arm under James's and attempted to pull him to his feet. She succeeded only with a lot of help from him. Her small height just couldn't cope with his.
James frowned at her before deciding that all of his energy was needed to concentrate on walking. "I didn't exactly plan on waiting for four hours." Lily flushed. "Besides, I left my wand in the dormitory. I thought you would like the whole Muggle date thing." He wavered slightly, putting more of his weight onto Lily.
Lily was unexpectedly touched at the thought he had put into the date. "C'mon. I'll buy you a butterbeer."
"And chocolate," James added. He sounded like a grumpy little boy.
Lily sighed and nodded her head.
It took them about ten minute to reach The Three Broomsticks at the pace they were going. Lily deposited James in a chair before going to buy the promised butterbeers. She sighed as she reached into her purse to pull out the money. She was going to have to get a job over break.
"Here," Lily dropped James's drink in front of him with a thud.
James took a long pull of the drink before setting it down. "You know this is all your fault," he coughed.
Lily decided that she still hated him. It seemed, however, that she was stuck with him because he was kind of right. It was her fault. "I'm sorry?" she tried.
James inclined his head. That was the answer he was looking for. "Where's my chocolate?" he asked.
Lily shook her head, slightly frustrated. "They don't exactly sell that here."
James pouted. "You promised."
"Whatever. I'll buy you some later."
"I'll hold you to that," James made his own promise.
Lily noticed that his face was regaining some of his color. It seemed like a good sign. "So tell me," she began, playing with her cup, "what is your house like?"
James put his head in his hand and stared at her. His hair began to dry slightly, going wild like it always was. "Why do you care?"
"Just trying to fill the silence," Lily answered in a hurt tone. She tucked her short, red hair behind her ear. It had gotten wet before she had had the sense to apply the charm. She thought that her and James must look like drowned rats.
"Fine," James drawled. He let his hand drop to his lap and leaned back in his chair. "I live back in London."
"Any siblings?" Lily had only the one sibling, Petunia, but she was enough to drive Lily crazy. And two people like James? One was scary enough.
"No," James shook his head. "I live alone."
"No parents?"
"Nah," James answered. "They mainly over in New York or Paris. Our company has our bigger branches over there that they have to oversee." He said it casually, like every little boy grew up like that.
Lily was beginning to understand how James ended up like he was, all twisted and such. He must have grown up very alone. Still, rich enough to have houses in New York, Paris, and London. This boy was spoiled rich.
"Besides, my cousin Gwen looked after me a lot. She's a lot older than me." James drained his butterbeer and raised his hand for a refill. He tossed some coins to the waitress. "What about you?"
Lily shrugged and put her empty tankard next to her. She didn't have the money to get any more. Especially not if she had to buy James chocolate. "I live in a small town with my parents and sister, Petunia." She leaned forward and changed the subject. "I'm not that interesting, though. Look." She pointed to a man in the corner. He was very short. His tankard was bigger than his head and neck. He was also busy talking to a chair with no one in it.
James turned his head to look at the guy. "Yeah. So?"
Lily looked serious. "Have you never played the 'Guess It' game?" James shook his head, very confused. Lily placed her elbow on the table and began to explain. "You pick someone and guess their history. Why they're there or look like they do." James still looked confused, so Lily took the initiative.
"I'll go first. This guy was out drinking when an anvil hit him on the head. He was squashed and lost about a foot in height during the incident. He wandered in here to find the guy that dropped the anvil."
James laughed as the man in question got up and began yelling at a large rock. "Okay," James answered. "I'm amused. Pick out a person for me."
The two sat laughing and talking for almost two hours. James eventually bought Lily another drink, not understanding why she didn't buy herself one.
Lily was surprised the first time she laughed. After he punched Chase, brought torture upon them, and hurt Sirius, she thought that she would never laugh around James again. More importantly, she thought James would never cause her to laugh. He did have a human side after all. She was reminded of the last time they had walked around Hogsmeade. She hoped this night would have a less traumatic ending.
"The Three Broomsticks is closing early tonight," a person announced.
Lily took a last sip of her drink and looked up at James. "Are you ready to go?"
"Do I have a choice?" James asked, the arrogance of the question softened by the teasing tone he spoke it in.
Lily was dually amused and annoyed by the question. "Let's go," she said, deciding to ignore his comment. She grabbed her jacket off the back of the chair and stood up.
James made to do the same. He began to get up, only to drop back into his chair.
"James?" Lily asked concerned. His face had lost all of the color it had regained over the past two hours.
James put up his hand to stave off her concern. He got up again, his face turning an ashen color. Lily rushed forward and put her arm around him to support him before he fell again. "You can't walk back to Hogwarts like this," she said.
"I'll be fine," James insisted. "Let's go." He walked out of the pub, leaning on Lily, his face turning more ashen with every step.
"James! You can not make it back like this!" Lily persisted. Her shoulder was beginning to ache with the pressure of James's weight. Her motives were both selfish and benevolent. "I'm not going to let you." She released her arm to make a point.
James managed to take one step before collapsing onto a wall. "Fine," he said. "I'll get a room at a hotel. But you have to stay too. If I have to face the wrath of Dumbledore tomorrow, so do you."
Lily really didn't want to do that.
"Or you can help me get back to Hogwarts," James said sweetly.
Lily thought of how much James weighed. "Clever," Lily said.
"I'm serious," James answered. He took another step, putting most of his weight on the wall.
"Fine," Lily broke down. She didn't like the color that his face was turning. She walked over to him and put her arm around him. James smiled in his victory and put his arm back around her shoulder. He pointed towards a hotel and they made their way over there with no small effort.
James weakly walked up to the man at the counter. He took his arm off Lily's shoulder and pulled out a handful of galleons. Lily gaped at the amount. Her parents spent less money than that for rent in a year. She didn't actually remember them ever holding that much money. "One room-" James said.
Lily shot him a dirty glare. She felt guilty, but not guilty enough for that.
"-with two beds," James continued without a pause.
Lily felt reprimanded.
"Yes, Mr. Potter, sir," the man replied cheerfully. He swept the money off the counter and held out a key. "Will you and the lady be needing anything else?" They both heard the sneer in his voice, even though the words were polite.
Lily considered how they must look, soaked to the skin, and for one of them, very sick. Finally, she decided to take advantage of the situation. This man obviously knew who James was. Its not like most of the wizarding world didn't. Their own little celebrity, James was famous. "Yes. We'd like some healing potion if you have it." The sooner James got well, the sooner she could get away from him.
"Yes, madam," the man answered. "It will be delivered to you room shortly."
James nodded and looked at the key. He walked off in the direction of the room, leaving Lily to follow.
"Clothes," Lily said loudly when she entered the room.
James turned around startled. "What?"
"We need dry clothes," Lily explained.
"Oh," James excepted the explanation and collapsed on the nearest bed. He then began to pull of his shirt.
"What are you doing?" Lily asked in a panicked voice.
James gave her a condescending expression. He held up his hands. "Wand." Lily tossed it to him in confusion. He tapped it to his shirt. An instant later it was try. "I'm a wizard," he said in a singsong voice.
Lily didn't know who she felt like slapping more: herself, for being an idiot and forgetting she could magically dry her clothes, or James, just for being an idiot. "I'm just going to go into the bathroom to dry mine," she said quickly, not wanting to watch James strip all the way.
James nodded. He tossed her back her wand and began to put his shirt back on. Lily slipped into the bathroom and spent a few moments gazing at the place. She now understood why James had paid so much. Finally, she dried her clothes. She stepped out for a second, tossed her wand to James, and then walked back in. She waited a few minutes before leaving for good.
"They brought it," James said when she reentered. He held up an empty bottle and then dropped it on the floor. With his next movement, he returned her wand.
"Good," Lily smiled. She desperately hoped that he would be better by morning. She already had to explain to Chase why she nor James came back to Hogwarts that night. She didn't want to have to explain another day. She walked over to her own bed and slipped beneath the covers. They felt like heaven. "Night, then," she said.
James lay in silence for a few minutes staring at the ceiling. He thought about the day. He had waited for four hours, gotten extremely sick, and was stuck in a hotel away from his friends. "I had fun today," he finally said.
Lily thought about it before answering. "Yeah, me too." She was a little bit shocked to find that that was true. James was pleasant to be around, when he wasn't acting like a jerk.
James lay in silence again, longer this time. "Lily," his voice was hesitant, quiet, "are you in love with Sirius?"
Lily didn't answer.
James stumbled out of bed, not knowing quite what his intention was. He wanted her to tell him no, and she never had been. Or maybe, just maybe, that she was in love with him. He just wanted an answer.
She was asleep.
He watched her chest rise and fall, her face so angelic in sleep. She looked serene. She looked perfect.
She couldn't yell at him well she slept.
He finally sighed and pulled her blanket up. "Sweet dreams," he whispered. He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. It was an un-James like moment. Something he would never be caught dead doing when there was someone to see him. He was James Potter. He was expected to be arrogant, perfect. He had to succeed his father.
His hand trailed down her face, caressing it. He stumbled back into his own bed and curled into a ball. His last conscious memory was of her face.
A/N
So everyone thank the four day weekend that gave me time to update. JK. But seriously, school is almost out. Yea! Hope everyone liked the chapter. Please Review!! I will love you forever.
Thanks to Pentagle Prince for the flower burning idea!
Thanks to DeWil and candio08 for catching my mistake last chapter. Switched up Candice and Crystal's name by mistake. Thank you.
And, always, thanks to Arya for being a great Beta. She convinced to rewrite the end, because it wasn't right before. So all you fluff lovers out there (I know you exist, cuz I'm one too) thank her.
Beta offer still stands. If anyone has anything, I would love to help.
b: Yep. 'Course the Marauders will get back together. They're kind of happy now. But they will actually back together in a few chapters. Thanks for the review. ahoyhoy: Thanks. And thanks for the review. the muddy worm. Yeah, sorry. I hate cliffs too. I just kind of wanted to end that chapter and couldn't find a good place. So, no cliff this time. So how did satisfying your craving on this chapter go? Lol. Thanks for the review. Phia. Yep. I'm changing the plot a little to fit my own style, but mainly it follows that plot. Thanks for the review! Louise. Thanks. I'm busy writing. ;)thanks for the review! Helper. Oh, wow. I think you have me beat on Marauder stories, actually. So wow. And thanks. That makes me feel very honored. One of the best compliments I've recieved. Thanks for the review! Melissa: OH MI GOD. You got to meet Stephenie Meyer. OH MI GOD. I'm going to sit here and be jealous for a couple million years. How was it? Okay, actually reading the rest of the review now, lol. I feel like you're going to be mad that Candice left. Sorry in advance. Well, advance before you review. And yeah, poor Chase. He never gets to ask her out. Thanks for the review!! sopleaza. Lol. I'm glad you liked Sirius's reaction. Thanks for the compliments and review!!