9.

Oh how could I face the faceless days if I should lose you now

We're so close to reaching that famous happy end

Almost believing this one's not pretend

Lets go on dreaming for we know we are so close

and yet so far...

Marlene and Remus wasted little time to go finish what they had started. They both set out as soon as polyjuice potion was placed in their mouths, only offering quick goodbyes to the people in the sitting room. Sirius came back into the flat without Lily at his side but James wasn't concerned about her leaving, not while Harry is still inside the house flipping through a picture book by the crackling fire. James stood up from the couch to go out to her but Sirius pressed him back into the cushions with a look.

"Give her time, Prongs, she's just been told she'd married to you." Sirius, as always, wasn't very serious, "Anyone would need time to process that."

James jeered at Sirius but did as he was told and stayed sitting. Sirius and James both watched Harry flip through the moving wizarding picture book with wide green eyes.

"You know it's funny." James said softly, "There have been so many nights where I've imagined what bringing Lily home would feel like…this wasn't it."

Sirius sent James a pitying look.

He slapped a hand on James' back comfortingly, "Peter's cornered, Marlene and Remus will get that pensive... have patience."

"Thanks Padfoot." James ruffled his black hair before getting down on the floor and crawling over to Harry to lie down next to his son, "What'cha reading mate?"

Harry turned his eyes to James with wild enthusiasm, "Did you know these pictures move?"

James laughed and pointed at one picture of the character flying on a broomstick, "Did you know you could really fly on broomsticks?"

Harry was automatically eager, "Can we go fly one? Oh please! Please!"

James glanced back at Sirius who shrugged and said, "It's your funeral when Lily finds out."

James rolled his eyes before standing up and offering his hand to Harry, "Come on Harry, let's go to the broom shed out back."

Sirius stood up and followed them out of the sitting room with a grin, "I gotta see this—"

James had an idea (a stupid idea considering Lily's reaction to apparating) but an idea nonetheless. James passed Harry's hand off to Sirius. Harry and Sirius looked at each other. Sirius smiled at James' son affectionately. Harry offered Sirius a toothy grin in response.

"Take Harry to the back." James told Sirius, "I'm going to get Lily."

"Come on Harry," Sirius announced, swinging Harry up and into his arms, "Your dad's going to go deal with the devil."

James turned to the front door. He took a deep breath and opened the door to find Lily sitting on the ground cross-legged, eyes closed. His heart dropped in his chest as her beauty once again struck him. The wind blew her hair around her face as she breathed slowly like she was meditating before a big test. If Lily heard the door open behind her, she made no move to find out who had come out of the cottage to talk to her. James knelt down beside Lily and she opened one eye in his direction.

"Are you here to take me back home?"

"No."

Her eye closed, "You can't keep me prisoner."

"I'm not trying." James snorted, "You can leave but Harry's staying with me. I'm not endangering him because of your stubborn stupidity."

That made both of Lily's eyes pop open, "My stupidity?" she said, aghast, "You're the one who waved your stupid wand and got us in this situation!"

James replied tartly, "So you agree with the magic thing then, that it's real?"

"Sure." She replied coolly, "Whatever. Will you leave me alone now?"

"No." James stuck out his hand, "I'm here to take you flying."

"Flying?"

"You used to be rather good at it." James said, "Almost as good as me."

"Almost?"

Lily's eyes were hesitant but he saw a flash of something that looked like his Lily behind the fear inducted by the cursed memories. Her curiosity got the best of her and she took his hand, her fingers interlocking through his. Before he pulled her up he stared at their interlocking fingers, feeling his chest tighten. Once she was up and off the ground he guided her around the house to where Sirius was waiting with Harry in his arms.

"James," she said, "What is going on?"

"Evans!" Sirius said cheerily, "Nice of you to join us again!"

Lily sent Sirius a sneer, "Who put you in charge of my kid?"

"I did." James told her.

"He's got an earring and has a attitude."

"You were with me when I got the earring Evans!" Sirius grinned, "You got your nose pierced."

Lily blinked at Sirius sharply, and not having a comeback, simply said, "Put my kid down, Sirius."

"Nah. Harry likes me, don't you Harry?"

James laughed out loud as Harry nodded and Lily sighed behind him. The backyard was one of James' favorite spots. There was a little table with chairs where they used to eat on particularly nice days. The grass was partially overgrown and it tickled their knees in some spots. A small broom shed sat in the corner and that's where James headed with Lily attached to his hand.

James let go of her hand to unlock the little brown shed and pull out one of his prized possessions, his cleansweep 70. The wooden grip was soft due to constant use in Quidditch games at Hogwarts. James had taken many flights on the broom and was attached to it even though he had a better model. Lily used to steal the broom when they were dating and go for short flights; she'd always loved to fly.

Not anymore.

When James turned to face Lily with the broomstick her face was uneasy.

"Don't tell me—"

James slung one leg around the broomstick as Lily objected wholeheartedly with petrified eyes. James grinned at her tense persona and patted the wood behind him favorably.

"Hop on Evans."

"You can't be serious." She deadpanned.

"Go mummy!" Harry cheered from Sirius' arms, "Go!"

Lily looked back at Harry with a frown before turning back to James quickly, as if afraid he'd sweep her off her feet, "That thing does cannot fly."

"If it can't fly then you have nothing to worry about, do you?" James snapped back and Lily frowned sincerely.

"James—"

James held out his hand, "Come on Lily, and take my hand! Don't you want to fly?"

"No?"

It wasn't convincing enough so James snatched her hand and yanked her towards him and the broom. Lily muttered under her breath as she slung a leg over and James didn't give her time to think about what she'd just done. James pushed off the ground without second thought, the wind pushing against him as he did so.

Lily shrieked, throwing her arms around his neck as they rose into the night sky. James laughed, letting go of the broom and balancing so he could pull her arms down to around his waist.

"Don't choke the man flying the broom, Love."

She didn't answer. Lily had her head pushed into his neck; he knew her eyes were closed. Her arms were so tightly wound about him that he had to adjust accordingly. Below them, Sirius and Harry were yelling words at them. They were too high up to hear properly.

"Lily."

She moaned into his neck, "What?"

"Open your eyes."

He waited and then he was pleased when an indulgent sigh fell from her lips behind his left ear. It was the horizon that had taken Lily's breath away. The moon had risen high in the sky and shone through the clouds like a light. The cold air blew through their hair and ruffled through their clothes. The trees in the forest behind the quaint Potter cottage rustled in the cool breeze, giving an unreal sense to their magical world.

Lily grip loosened around his waist, "It's beautiful."

He leaned into the broom, "I know."

Lily let go of him with one arm so she could twist and look behind them where the sky seemed to stretch on, black and endless. James turned too and smiled when he saw the look on her face. He'd give away all of his money to keep that look on her face for the rest of her life. The moonlight hit her face, lighting up her features like she was under spotlight. He ached to run his fingers along the sharp curve of her jaw and bring her awe-parted lips to his mercy.

"Why can't I believe this?" she whispered, eyes wide, "Why do I want to think this is just a dream? Is this even real?"

"It's real for us." Her eyes found his, "This is real Lily. As real as your flat in London and your job and everything you think is normal...that's not even half of the world you come from."

Lily swallowed before whispering, "I'm dizzy."

"Of course." James said softly, "We're up pretty high."

James slowly lowered the broom and when their feet touched the ground below Harry came running up with wild eyes, breaking the solemn silence that had fallen between his parents.

"Mummy, Mummy!" Lily smiled as she got off the broom and Harry launched himself into her waiting arms, "That was so cool! Can I go mummy? Can I? Please!"

Lily brushed Harry's hair back and said dotingly, "Love, you can, tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow?" Harry grimaced.

"Because it's bedtime." Lily pointed at the dark sky, "I had no idea it was so late."

James glanced at the watch on his wrist and saw that it was past Harry's bedtime, "Your mum is right Harry."

Harry's lower lip pouted out and Lily and James both smiled at their kid as he whined, "Just one ride."

James always the sucker in the parenting gig lowered the broom to Harry's height.

"One ride." He told Harry.

Lily stepped forward; brows tense "James—"

James pushed Lily's hand away when she tried to stop Harry from sliding onto the broom handle in front of James. He sent Lily a look to trust him and he was surprised when she obliged and took a step back. James wrapped one arm tightly around Harry's middle and pushed up onto his toes. Harry's feet kicked out from under him as they lifted three feet from the grass. Harry squealed as James made the broom push forward across the wet grass.

"Go Harry!" Sirius applauded from behind them as Harry erupted in giggles in front of James.

Harry's fingers gripped the broom handle over James' and for a moment everything was right. They were all together in the backyard, practicing flying. There was no memory loss keeping them apart. There was only laughter and moonlight.

James turned to broomstick and they zoomed back over to where Sirius and Lily stood beaming. When the broomstick came to the stop Lily pulled Harry off the broomstick and hugged him closely. Harry threw his arms around his mums neck as she snuggled him thankfully.

"Did you see mum?" Harry asked impatiently, "Did you see me fly?!"

"You did so well, baby." Lily placed a hand on Harry's cheek fondly, "Was that fun?"

"Yes!" Harry breathed, "I want to go again!"

All the adults chuckled as Harry's fingers itched for the broomstick underneath James. James' eyes met Lily's again and he felt his heart lurch when he saw the affection in her eyes. Sirius, who sensed the looked between Lily and James, lifted Harry from his mothers arms. Lily looked at Sirius in wonder as he started walking away with the child.

"I'll put the kid to bed," Sirius shouted over his shoulder, "You two talk."

Lily watched Sirius go with their son, almost like she couldn't bring herself to look back at James. James didn't mind. He could've stared at the way her red hair curved around her shoulders for at least another fifteen minutes without any problem. Suddenly her shoulders rounded and she turned, their eyes meeting again in the dark. Lily shifted from foot to foot as they watched each other.

Finally James spoke, "Did you like it?"

Lily's fingers pointed out beyond the tree line where hills rose into the distance, "I've never seen anything like it."

James sniggered, "You used to go flying all the time." He leaned on the end of the broomstick and winked at her, "We used to go flying all the time."

"I wish I could remember."

"I wish you could too."

Lily's kicked at the grass, "All those pictures on the wall, were we really that happy?"

James' smile spread wider, "Happier."

Lily cleared her throat, "It's just hard to believe."

"Well," James dismounted off the broom and walked slowly over to her, "Believe it Evans. You can be happy, so turn that frown upside down."

When he was inches from her, she lifted her head. Underneath the moon her green eyes seemed to glow. Her head tilted slightly as they stared at each other. He tried to get up the gall to speak to her but she was so beautiful in the moonlight that it had rendered him speechless, like he was fifteen years old again.

"You know Harry and I have to go back, right? Tomorrow morning." She murmured, "I'm expected to be at work."

James moped, "Lily, the wizards working for Umbridge might be waiting for you there."

"Well then we need to go and make sure Melina and Eric aren't being cursed or hexed or—whatever it is by those people." Lily said stubbornly.

"Melina and Eric are probably fine." James said, but not confidently.

Lily raised one of her eyebrows, "Probably fine?"

"Yeah,"

"That was convincing." Lily then took another step forward; pushing her finger into his chest, "Promise me that we can at least check on them tomorrow."

James couldn't say no to her, "Fine."

Happy with his reply she took a large step away from him and walked back towards the house. James locked away the broom in the shed and then made his way into the cottage. Sirius passed James on the way to the staircase.

"Did she snog you?" he asked with a devilish grin.

James rolled his eyes and pushed past Sirius to jump up the staircase two stairs at a time.

"Better luck next time Prongs!" Sirius called after him, laughing to himself, the prat.

James stopped dead on the last stair when he saw that Harry's nursery door was open. He could hear Lily and Harry's voices drifting out from inside. He felt like he was taken back in time to when he'd come up these stairs and Lily would be reading Harry a bedtime story.

Harry was talking about his cot, "Sirius made it for me."

Lily's voice was warm, "That was nice of him."

"He magicked it!"

"Impressive." James winced at her curt tone.

"Mummy?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Do you think I could get a broomstick?"

James' smile couldn't have gotten any bigger as he remembered asking his parents that same question around Harry's age. There was silence from Lily. James walked into the nursery to see Harry resting on a cot where the crib used to be. Harry was covered in blankets but he had them pushed back so he could sit up straight to speak to his mum. Harry's eyes caught James' movement behind Lily and his green eyes lit up more.

"Can I get a broom?" Harry asked James without regards to his mother.

James chuckled as he watched Lily kiss Harry's forehand and quickly mutter tersely, "Harry, no broomsticks until you master the bicycle."

"But I still have to use training wheels!" Harry complained, his fists hitting the cot dreadfully.

Lily was smirking triumphantly, her fight won, as she stood up from the cot, "Goodnight Harry, I love you."

"Goodnight mummy." Harry exhaled, settling into his pillow.

Lily passed James, their shoulders brushing. James couldn't help catching her gaze and winking at her. Lily waited by the frame as James walked over to where Harry was watching his parents interact from the cot.

"Will you help me ride a bike?" Harry beseeched James as James knelt down to the cot level.

"Harry," James said sincerely, "I cannot ride a bike." Harry's face dropped and James leaned in to whisper, "But I can promise you that I will work on your mum and get you your very own broom by eleven."

Harry beamed, "G'night dad."

James froze overtop of Harry's bed and stared at the boy, partially in surprise and partially in awe. James leaned over to kiss Harry's forehead adoringly.

"Goodnight Harry."

James didn't miss the look on Lily's face when he passed by her in the doorway. She was staring at him like she used to do before she was going to corner him, push him against the wall, and have her way with him. James smirked as their shoulders pushed against each other again.

Lily closed the door after turning off the light and then rounded on James in the hallway, her arms crossed. James would've been intimidated by her if it weren't for the small curve to her lips. James leaned against the wall and grinned sheepishly at his wife, spiritedly even. He was taken back to their flirting when they were kids at school.

"What did you tell him?" Lily asked, eyes narrowed.

James shrugged, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Lily hit his arm and he chortled, holding the spot where she hit, "Hey!"

"You told him you'd get him a broomstick didn't you!" she accused, hitting his other arm, "James you git!"

James laughed, throwing his hands up to block her oncoming punches, "I told him by the time he's eleven!"

Lily pulled back, "Eleven?"

James nodded, "He'll be at Hogwarts then and they'll put him a broom weather you like it or not."

"Hogwarts?"

For a moment in their playful antics, James had forgotten he was dealing with a memory swiped Lily. James lowered his arms and took her hand, pulling her down the dark hallway. He walked them down the staircase and into the sitting room. James could hear Sirius ruffling through the fridge for a bottle of butterbeer.

"Sirius, bring us some butterbeer!" he hollered as he tugged Lily to the fireplace and a stack of paper covered books.

James sat them down and Lily crossed her legs as he dug through the pile of books until he found the one he'd been looking for. When he opened it some unhooked photographs fell out. Some of the pictures were old, taken before Hogwarts, but he knew there were some to help spark Lily's imagination. Sirius waltzed into the sitting room with three opened bottles of butterbeer and passed Lily one. Lily stared at the bottle.

"Take a swing before we die Evans." Sirius said as he passed James a bottle, "We aren't going to poison you."

Lily nervously took a swing and then her eyes opened pleasantly, "It's so good!"
"Wait until you try James' butterbeer ice cream." Sirius told Lily as James lifted a picture from the folds of the book and passed it to Lily.

Sirius glanced over Lily's shoulder as she stared at the photograph with interest, "It's a castle." She said simply.

"Hogwarts." Sirius said, taking a swing of his own drink.

James pulled another picture from the book, one of the hallways and Lily and James wearing Head Boy and Head Girl pins from their seventh year. Lily had her wand tucked in her ponytail and James had his arm slung around her waist. Lily stared at this picture longer.

"We were top students." James told her as she stared, "You exceled in charms and I was rather good at Transfiguration."

"And you both kicked arse in potions." Sirius offered, tipping his drink at Lily's wondering face, "Drove Snape to drink when you'd both get top marks in Advanced Potions."

"Snape?" Lily blinked and James was taken aback by the recognition across her face, "Severus Snape?"

James nodded gradually, "Do you know him?"

"He grew up on my street." Lily blinked weirdly as if she was sorting through the fake memories, "He'd be at the playground my sister and I played at sometimes."

James and Sirius exchanged a look. It stung that of all the people Lily remembered, Severus Snape was the one who got a reprieve. He'd never been their favorite at school. As far as they knew, Snape opened a potions shop in Diagon Alley after Hogwarts. Lily had been friends with the weird potioneer in school but they'd grown apart after Lily started dating James.

"Well," Sirius said softly, "She did know him before she knew magic."

"Yeah," James moodily took a swing of his drink as Lily reached over to grab more photos from the book.

James and Sirius watched as Lily went through photos. Eventually, Sirius fell asleep on the sofa and James relaxed against the walls as he occasionally told Lily about people or things in pictures. She was deeply invested into them and occasionally put aside ones that she really liked. James saw her pause for a long time on one photo and he quirked an eyebrow at her when she looked up at him.

"What?" he couldn't help smiling at her even when he was tired.

Lily turned the photo and his hazel eyes traced the memories with bittersweet recognition. It was like it had all come back to him, the music, the smells, and the feeling of his fingers memorizing the white lace of her wedding dress. The picture was during their first dance. He had his forehead pressed against hers. They only had eyes for each other under the trees casting shadows over their form.

"We were really in love, weren't we?"

James smiled and stood up, offering her his hand. Lily, who didn't seem to mind his hand holding anymore, took it without a probing look. It wasn't until he wrapped one of her hands around his waist and lifted her other hand in the air that she sent him a quizzical stare.

James swayed them lightly and hummed the tune to their wedding song. Lily's eyes stayed hooked on his face as he guided her in small circles around the sitting room. He stopped humming but he could hear every lyric in his mind as he held her so close, like he used to do when they were younger.

As twirled her in front of him, Lily's eyes fell shut. Her hair swept majestically to one shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he leaned his forehead against hers just like in the photograph she had dropped mid spin. She giggled as he picked her up and spun her teasingly, sliding her feet back to the floor with as much grace as he could. Her hands slid against his face and all he saw was her smile, so bright a perfect and all for him.

And that's when he let go of her.

She seemed startled when he took three giant steps away from her, hurt almost. James swallowed and stared at his shoes, bashfully tugging his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, "I got carried away."

Her face was bright red when he looked at it, "Of course." She cleared her throat, "The loo?"

"Down the hall." James offered weakly.

Lily tore away without another word and he watched her go with every bit of longing to go after her.

How could at one point, he be so close, and yet so far?

Ugh this, like I said, was my favorite chapter by far. Domestic Jily raising Harry with Sirius is just my aesthetic. You know?

Until next week my loves,

Petals