Here's my awesome, psychedelic disclaimer! This is Crys. I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the recognized characters. See? C-R-Y-S does not spell J. K. Rowling. Neither does water sprite. Just so you know. Don't be stupid like the McD's coffee lady and sue.

Summary: After five years in France, Lily returns to England, where she'll run headfirst into a past she'd once been forced to leave behind. "Stop pretending things are like they were. They'll never be the same and that was your doing. You lost your chance!"

To Reviewers:

SilverWolf7007- hey honey, glad to hear from you again! You can try to bribe me to write faster, but what I need is more time…try Father Time, maybe he'll take your money and give me a week off from school…I sure could use the extra time. Here's more on the Lucky Red Thong, enjoy bebe!

mad about jp- hello darling, thank you for reviewing my fic! Sorry, this chap doesn't have much chase-lils, you'll have to be patient for that! :)

And ta-dah! I present, Chapter 11:

Sirius Encounters the Lucky Red Thong, Among Other Things

Lily was not a morning person but for some reason, on this first day, morning couldn't come quickly enough. She slept soundly after her bout with Sirius, only to awaken at 6:50 in the morning. Glancing at her clock, she groaned. It's only 6:50? I don't have to be down for breakfast until 8:00, at the earliest! Glancing around at the other sleeping girls, she grinned. At least I get a hop on the shower. Jumping up, she crossed silently to the bathroom. Picking out lavender colored towels with 'Lily' sewn into them, she started the bathwater. While it was heating up, she went to her trunk and pulled out one of her black school robes, a worn, faded pair of blue jeans, and a cotton, hunter green t-shirt , all in the name of comfort. Remembering her conversation with Sirius, she also pulled out her lucky red thong and her bra. Turning, she stumbled into the bathroom, clothes dangling off her arm, greeted by steam. The water was hot and welcoming, caressing her body like an old friend. Her shampoo smelled strongly of cinnamon and rosemary, a unique scent that stuck to her all day long.

After she finished dressing, she began the long task of brushing out her hair. As usual she decided to let it air dry, as she normally ended up pulling it back anyway later on in the day. This, however, was a very long process because her hair was so long and dratted thick with curls, and it wasn't until the other girls were up and moving that it was dry. Slipping on her old black Vans, fiery red curls splashing down her back, she was soon ready. "I'm heading down to breakfast. Any of you want to come?"

"I'm not quite finished!" Molly called from the curling iron in the bathroom.

"What do I wear?" Ashton shrieked.

"You say that every year Ashton, and every year you look fine," Molly shouted back from the bathroom.

Shaking her head, Lily looked for Bella. Where is she in all this? She can't still be asleep? Evidently she could, because she was.

"Bella!" Lily exclaimed. "Get your butt in gear. Move it!" Lily was standing over the sleeping girl, shaking her gently.

"Umkay, okay, I'm 'wake," she mumbled, and then rolled over.

"Arabella Figg, wakey, wakey!" Lily prodded.

"I'll get her, Lils," Molly said. "You can go ahead."

"If you're sure…" Lily skipped out of the room, not awaiting Molly's reply, ready to continue her explorations. She was about to duck out of the portrait hole when—

"Lily! I'm glad I caught you." Lily turned to face none other than Remus.

"Good morning, Remus. Is something wrong?"

"I just wanted to congratulate you on becoming a Gryffindor and welcome you to our house. I wanted to last night but I was held up…"

Lily waved off his excuses. "Ream, it's okay, really, I understand. There's no reason for you to stir things up with Chase. It's fine. I don't want you to forfeit your friendship with him just for me. Thanks, by the way, for welcoming me to the House, I appreciate it. It's like having your blessing. And I do love you. However, such a greeting as you just gave me makes me want to throttle you! How about another, more appropriate one?" She joked, trying to lighten the do-or-die air surrounding her childhood friend.

Sirius, who came bounding down the boy's stairwell with noisy thuds and thumps, cut her off. "Ah, top of the morrow to you, Remmie-chan." He bounced up to Lily. "Red! I was hoping I'd run into you.

"Don't you mean run over me, like you did on the train yesterday?" she teased, her mood lightening noticeably.

He mock pouted. "I already said I was sorry! About twenty times, if I remember correctly. Heading down to breakfast, are we? May I join you?"

"That's how friends greet each other." Lily smiled softly at Remus and turned, giving Sirius her total attention. "I was, actually. Shall we go? I have something I need to show you." She winked.

"Really?" Sirius glanced between Remus and Lily, then shrugged. "I think we shall. Later Moony!"

"Bye Remus," Lily said, a feeling of foreboding flooding her. This was how it was going to be? Her conversations with Remus were to be brief, stilted, and impersonal? Disappointment and hurt filled her, but she pushed it down, linking arms with Sirius. The two strolled over to the portrait hole and walked slowly down to breakfast. "What did you want to show me?" he asked, beaming.

Smirking, she ushered him into a corner and pulled two identical thin straps composing the sides of the thong up high on her hips, so that they stuck out of her hip-hugger jeans but didn't quite disappear beneath her slightly cropped t-shirt. Sirius' grin widened and he began to laugh uncontrollably. "Merlin's beard, Red, you're just too much!"

Catching his drift, she began singing a rather racy song she'd overheard at one of the French nightclubs she'd been dragged to last year. Smiling silkily, she nudged her shirt over slightly so a thin red bra strap showed attractively on her slender shoulder. She shook her hips suggestively and grabbing Sirius' hands, ran them through the tips of her silky curls, barely containing her giggles. With a sultry air, she slid her hands up his chest and into his hair, distinctly mussing it and making it splay out in all directions. Then she leaned in so close her lips almost touched his and she whispered, "Was it good for you?"

Sirius just laughed harder. "Damn, Red, where'd you learn such a routine? I must admit, if I were into you, I'd be horribly turned on."

"I learned that little number from a few well-known light skirts who swanked about 'Batons. If I'd finished it up, I'd still have your devilishly handsome self pressed up against that wall." She licked her lips provocatively.

"Devilishly handsome? Am I really?"

"Oh yes, a fine specimen of a man. Don't pretend to not know it, either. I know boys…always flexing in the mirror. You men are all a bunch of beauty queens, always primping in mirrors. Poor things…"

"Who? Us beauty queens, or the mirrors?"

"Mirrors. So, now that you've 'met' my lucky red thong and 'spicy' red bra, I suggest we continue down to breakfast. You might be sorely missed."

"What a friendly encounter that was indeed. Do I get to do this every morning?" he asked hopefully.

"Sorry mate, this was a once in a blue moon affair." She winked roguishly.

"I feel the love. Do you play Quidditch, Red?" And off they went on an intense discussion about their favorite wizarding sport, carrying it all the way through breakfast, barely noticing when the girls joined them.

*~*

The weeks passed quickly, and soon they were nearing the end of the month October. Lily was successful in all of her classes, except for Transfiguration, which she was absolutely horrible at. She especially loved Charms, where she was Flitwick's top student.

Lily quickly fell into the comfortable Hogwarts routine, and made a few close friends, namely Sirius, Bella, and Molly. Ashton was also a pretty good friend, but she seemed to have boys on the brain all the time, something Lily found irritating. Remus, even if he was a little distant and never hung out with her specifically, was also her friend. At least he tried. She'd learned to live with it.

Lily and Bella soon started pulling pranks right and left. They were talented and discreet, and although they had no recognition for what they did, they never got in trouble with McGonagall either. Lily and Sirius also pulled pranks here and there, never getting caught thanks to Lily; but then Sirius and the rest of the Marauders would pull something and ended up serving detention incessantly.

Despite their antics, Lily was aware of the tension between the other Marauders and Sirius, and she knew it was her fault. She was trying to subtly get him to hang around her less and them more, but it didn't seem to be working. Still, things were bearable for once, to say the least, and Lily was closer to happiness than she'd ever been while in France.

One morning, Sirius was sitting with her, Bella, Molly, and Ashton at breakfast as he did every other day, when he looked up distractedly. "Where are the Marauders?" he asked them. Bella pointed to the other end of the table, where Ace was staring at his plate, Remus was pushing his food around with a fork, Peter was stuffing himself and James- James wasn't there. "Where's James?" he asked. Ashton shrugged, listening to Molly, who was a prefect, argue with a second year about his biting goblet (someone had cursed it and he was trying to get a new one). "Excuse me," he mumbled.

"Sirius, are you okay?" Lily asked, full of concern.

"Yeah, Red, no worries…I got to go talk to them. I'll see you in class, okay?"

"Of course," Lily said, nodding.

He rushed over to the other end of the table. "Hey guys. Where's James at?"

"Why do you care, traitor?" Ace asked coldly as Peter glared at him. They'd been treating him like this for the past two months. Sirius looked pleadingly at Remus, begging him to answer. Remus had also seemed a bit upset lately. Not angry with Sirius, though, to his relief, but just upset in general.

Looking up, Remus sighed. "I think he's still in the dorm. You giving him the shoulder for Lily-" Remus flicked his gaze nervously at Ace. "-is really bothering him, I think. I don't know."

"I'll go talk to him." Getting up, Sirius strode out of the hall. Lily, who had been watching him the whole time, excused herself and went after him.

"Hey Siri! Sirius? Wait up!" She was running to catch up with his long strides. He seemed to slow down a bit, but he didn't stop and he didn't turn around. It wasn't until they were far from the Great Hall that she caught up with him. "Are you sure you're okay?" she panted, still jogging to keep up.

"I'm fine. I just need to speak with James. Go back to your breakfast Red."

"But Sirius…I want to come with you. I know he hasn't exactly taken to me, but I want to help you…"

"It's not that simple, Lily! And…he's just…James hasn't been himself. He doesn't usually behave this way. I don't know. Just go back and finish eating. I don't need you." I wish I didn't need you, he thought.

Lily stopped moving, froze in place. Sirius finally stopped, realizing what he'd said and how it sounded. He looked behind him at the devastated girl, his best friend in the entire world next to James, and he nearly fell to his knees at the pain in her eyes. "Red, that didn't come out the way it was supposed to-"

"No, Sirius, really, I can assure you it came out perfectly," she replied in a pained voice, closing her eyes momentarily. "Perfectly clear. I'd best get back." Turning, she fled, not heading back to the Great Hall, Sirius noted, but in the other direction.

Shit! Sirius thought, smacking himself in the head. Flying fuck! What the hell was I thinking? Go after her! Damn you, move! But Prongs…bloody hell!

Mind still undecided, Sirius's legs, of their own accord, began walking towards the common room again. Storming into Gryffindor Tower, he practically killed himself as he flew up to the boy's dormitories. "James! Where the hell are you?" Stepping into their dorm, he checked all the beds. All were made up and empty. Sirius stopped to listen. There! The water's running. Stepping into the bathroom, he banged on the glass door of the shower, making James jump. Seeing Sirius, James glared and shut the water off violently.

"Sirius! What the hell are you doing in here?" James grabbed at the offered towel and quickly wrapped it around his waist.

"Oh, stop being a homophobe, I'm not checking you out. I was just…" Worried. Upset. Afraid. He stopped, unsure of what to say. "Why didn't you come down to breakfast?"

"I slept in," James retorted vehemently.

"Are you angry with me?"

"Is Dumbledore's hair silver?" the boy snapped, groping for a comb while glaring looks of death at Sirius.

"So what did I do?"

"It's about time you've noticed Sirius! Where have you been these past two months? I almost don't see you anymore, we never pull pranks like we used to- you ditched us for some new girl." It was an accusation, and Sirius was sure James meant 'me' instead of 'us'. "Did you forget the bonds of friendship to go sniffing around some French girl?"

"Don't speak of what you don't know! How dare you say such a thing about Lily! How fucking dare you? You don't even know her."

"And neither did you two months ago!"

"Your point?"

"I- you-" James seemed to be losing steam. He closed his eyes. "I thought we meant more to you than some girl."

"James, I feel drawn to her, like she needs me like I need her. I've been waiting forever for this kind of relationship."

"So you've already gotten her to date you?" James asked dangerously.

"Not that kind of relationship! Friendship James! She trusts me, just lets me be me, doesn't care if I'm rich, or handsome, or an 'immature prankster'. We're just there, and we connect, and it's like we understand each other completely…"

"Are you saying I-"

"You can't compare the two of you, James, she has her qualities, and you have yours. You're nothing alike, and very alike all at once. I like the way she makes me feel. Special. Like I was the most important person to her in the entire world. It felt good. She had so much confidence in me, confidence no one else but you has- or had. You…you don't need me like she does, though, you have other people and sometimes I feel like I will end up just another face in the crowd with you…"

"But you're my best friend! Face in the crowd my ass! You're probably the only friend she has in the world," James muttered, faltering a little. "That'd make you pretty damn important. How can I compete with that?"

"You never had to. But I guess now you don't have to worry about that, not anymore. Are you happy, James? Are you satisfied? We're not friends anymore! I was so worried about you, so concerned about you, I just bulldozed right over her feelings and said something I didn't mean. She ran off. And I didn't go after her to try to fix things. Oh no, I just turned my back and came up to check on you, James! So let me ask, because I just ruined one of the best things in my life for you, so I want to be sure you're happy! Are you? Are you pleased?" Sirius' face was contorted in fury and pain. Why do I let them affect me like this? Friends, who needs 'em? I do.

"No," James said quietly. "I hate seeing you so unhappy, it hurts me. I thought she was replacing me…I thought maybe when we argued, that was the end. I- Sirius, you're a brother to me. I can't lose you!"

"You'll never lose me, James, you are my brother, my only family technically," Sirius said, sighing sadly. "I'm sorry James, about how I've been acting. And I'm sorry I called you a jackass. I didn't mean it, it was the heat of the moment kind of thing."

James looked at him seriously. "I know. Sirius, why don't you go after her? If you hurry, cause classes start in thirty minutes, you'll still have time…I have to get dressed and I'll follow you down." He smiled weakly at his best friend.

"Sure. Hurry yourself! Later James!" So saying, Sirius rushed out of their bathroom, down the stairs, and out of the portrait. Running, he turned in the direction Lily had gone and spotted Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Worth a shot, he thought.

*~*

Hmm…a sorta halfway cliff, eh? I'm on a roll with those tonight! Anyways, thanks again to my two reviewers! If you hadn't reviewed, I'd think nobody read this crap! Thanks so much! I will try to update before three weeks pass, but I can't promise anything!

Love,


Crys