Clare Garlick

ch 11

Last night had been the best for James; Lily had woken up, and he'd managed to fit all four of his friends into his room. It was like the sleepover he'd had never had. They had stayed awake most of the night telling secrets, during many of which you could hear James, Sirius and Remus singing their latest version of "Lalalalalala I Don't Want To Hear This" whenever things got too girlie for them.

James had finally drifted off to sleep alongside Remus and Sirius. The girls, however, had stayed awake and, much to James' horror, using their wands like razors they had etched the word "prat" on his head. Then they decided a bit of makeup wouldn't go amiss. When they had finally added the finishing touches to his mascara, lip-gloss, blusher, foundation, and eyeshadow, they fell asleep.

James awoke with a start. He looked around the room and noticed he was the only one there. He got up and threw his robes over his head, then ran from the dorm and through the portrait hole. When he reached the Great Hall he looked round, panting. Quietly he opened the door and walked in, and every head turned to look at him.

"Sorry I'm late, sir," James shouted to his Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.

James took his place at the Gryffindor table, blithely unaware of his beautified appearance. Before going to breakfast, Remus and Sirius had been told what the girls had done to James and had been told not to mention a word of it to him. Both boys agreed, after a precautionary check of their own reflections in a mirror first.

James grabbed the nearest plate of food and began to eat, still unaware that everyone was staring at his appearance. He only stopped eating when Dumbledore stood up and clapped his hands.

"I should like to say good morning to you all—and to reassure you that no matter your outward appearance—" with a significant nod in James' direction— "you always will be accepted here at Hogwarts. You may proceed to continue your day as planned. Good day."

James, Sirius, Remus, Coral, and Lacey ran to the common room and practically dived into the fireplace. After they had squeezed in as best they could, they stopped squirming long enough to fling down a pinch of Floo powder and shout, "St Mungo's!"

The Matron at St Mungo's didn't look startled or even particularly surprised at the arrival of the young witches and wizards that clambered out of the fireplace a moment later. She did seem rather confused at James' new look, though.

"How is Miss Lily Evans, could you please tell us?" Remus asked the Matron.

"She's getting better. It seems the poison accessed her body through food or drink. You're very lucky she awoke. I should like to have a word with you before you leave," the Matron said to James in a brisk manner that reminded him strongly of Professor McGonagall.

James practically ran to Lily's bed when he saw she was awake, and hugged her tightly as if he hadn't seen her in ages. Sirius and Remus had to prise him off her in the end, as Lily began to turn a violent shade of blue.

"Lily, you're awake," James squealed excitedly. Lily, still recovering from being hugged, just nodded.

The boys sat around her bed and chatted, with Lily looking at James' hair every now and again and chuckling to herself. Every time James turned his back, Lily looked at the girls and gave them thumbs-up, then pointed at James.

After a few hours, the Matron came to throw the four teenagers out. They were walking back to her office to Floo back to Hogwarts when she stopped them and pulled James aside.

"Look, young man, I need to tell you this. Miss Evans is very lucky. If she hadn't woken tomorrow, we could have safely said that she was dead, or at least dying very slowly. We aren't exactly sure of the source of the poison, but we are sure that it was taken through food or drink. She very nearly died over the last few days. She's had to have over five potions every three hours. It's very fortunate indeed that she woke up faster than expected. You are very lucky—so lucky I can't express it enough—that she is alive. I hope you realise that. Now, before you go—she should be ready to go home tomorrow. If you would like to pick her up, then just come down during visiting hours. See you very soon, I hope." The Matron smiled at James as she spoke.

The fact that James could have lost Lily after having only just won her over hit him hard. The only word he managed to say to the Matron was, "Oh."

The three other students were allowed to come in the office now. They wanted to know what the Matron had wanted with James, but from the distant look on his face it wasn't worth asking. The clambered into the fire place and, by contrast to the way they had arrived, whispered, "Gryffindor common room," although James barely even mouthed it.

As soon as James stepped out of the fireplace he collapsed in a chair and stared straight ahead of him. Even when Sirius stood in front of him, it looked as if James was looking right through him. Remus decided he had had enough.

"James, what's the matter? What did the Matron say to you?" Remus asked softly, as though asking a three-year-old about his nightmare. James didn't reply. He looked at Remus for a moment, then ran up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. When Sirius and Remus reached the door of their dorm, they crept in and looked about. On the bed near the window, James lay crying. He looked a mess; his mascara was running, and that damned Potter curse had struck again: his hair was rapidly growing back, as unruly as ever.

"James? What's the matter? Please tell us. W e can help," Remus whispered. Sirius stood by and scoffed, earning him a glare from Remus.

"Its nothing, honest. I don't feel like talking, that's all," James lied.

"We're not stupid. Well—I'm not. Don't know about Sirius over here," Remus joked. Now it was Sirius' turn to give out the dirty look.

"Please you guys," James begged.

"No, we have a right to know," Lacey shouted. She and Coral had just come in the door and looked angry. "Lily's our best mate. If something dire is going to happen to her, we ought to be told."

"Fine. You want to know? The Matron said, and I quote, 'If she hadn't woken tomorrow, we could have safely said that she was dead, or at least dying very slowly.' She also said, 'She very nearly died over the last few days'!" James shouted.

A sudden silence fell. The three boys looked at each other, then at the two girls, who had tears welling up in theirs eyes. Suddenly Lacey gave a little sob and ran from the room. Coral shot James a reproachful look and followed. From a distance the boys heard her call, "Lacey, wait!" The sound of Lacey's weeping moved away, then ceased altogether when the door swung shut once again.

When Sirius and Remus turned around, James was crying again. They went to sit with on his bed, making tentative, rather awkward attempts to comfort him.

"James, she's okay now. Don't worry, she'll be home soon," Remus tried.

James just glared at him until Sirius said, "James, Marauders don't cry. You're going to break your own cardinal rule if you carry on like this!" He grinned as he said it. James stopped crying abruptly at this. He had never yet broken a Marauder rule.

"You guys don't understand. I—I—well, I—" James started.

"For God's sake, James. You what?" Sirius snapped at his friend.

"I love her, okay?" James shouted, and immediately buried his head under his pillow.

Sirius groaned. James had officially done it—he had broken a Marauder rule! But this time he didn't seem to care. Sirius stomped out of the room, fed up with the whole situation. Remus, on the other hand, stayed put.

"James, if you love her, we'll help you," Remus told him. "Do you want us to go with you to bring Lily back tomorrow?"

"Remus, no offence, mate, but...I don't think I need Sirius' help. He—well, you know," James shrugged.

Remus nodded and trotted off down the stairs with James close on his heels.

It was decided that they were all going en masse to pick Lily up from the hospital. James had made the girls sleep in Lily's room, as he hadn't quite forgiven them for the whole "prat" thing, or the makeup, either.

James woke earlier than the rest of them due to a noise at the door. Once he managed to untangle himself from the quilt, he got up to find someone was knocking at the portrait hole. Yawning, he swung the portrait open to find Professor McGonagall standing there in her tartan night robes.

"I believe you'll be collecting Lily from the hospital today, is that correct?" she asked tiredly.

"Yes, Professor," James nodded.

"Very well. I just wanted to make sure someone would be accompanying her," McGonagall said. "Carry on, Mr Potter." She nodded and walked back to her quarters. James remained standing at the portrait hole for a few seconds, and then he retreated inside to wake the others.

Once everyone had got up and was dressed and ready, they all walked to the fireplace and clambered in once again. Five voices could be heard uttering, "St Mungo's!"

The Matron looked up to see the same five teenagers brushing themselves off and climbing out of the grate in her office. She noticed that Miss Evans' particular friend, that nice young Mr Potter, had dark hair that looked like it wouldn't stay down even if you applied a steamroller to it.

He looked quite excited this morning. The Matron showed them once again to Lily's bed, where she waited, fully dressed, with all her possessions around her. Lily smiled and thanked Healer Davis, the Matron, and stood up. Since she hadn't been on her feet much for the last several days, she was a bit unsteady and had to hold onto James' arm for support.

They had started moving toward the fireplace when Lily stopped suddenly. The others looked round to see what the holdup was.

"Go on without me—I've forgot something. James, would you help me find it?" Lily asked, smiling. Remus, who instantly cottoned on to what she was doing, dragged the others away and took them back though the fireplace to the Gryffindor common room.

"I missed you, James," Lily smiled.

"I've missed you, too. But I still don't think much of your friends after what they did to me," James joked.

Lily laughed and immediately realised this was a bad idea, clutching her side in agony. James look horrorstricken and, for some reason, apologised. Lily just smiled and motioned him toward the fireplace.

When they reached the Gryffindor common room, they went to where their friends sat together, waiting for them, and Lily hobbled over, clutching James' arm. Lacey and Coral greeted her warmly and settled her in the most comfortable armchair, laughing, talking, and asking questions about her ordeal.

After a few minutes of this, the boys, feeling they were no longer wanted, ran off upstairs. They flung themselves onto Remus' bed, as it was the one that hardly ever got jumped on and was the firmest.

"James loves Lily," Remus and Sirius said in sing-song voices.

James glared at them and told them to shut up, but he couldn't quite hide the silly little smile that played around his lips when they teased him. So the morning went; they sat on the bed discussing this and that.

Until the topic of Lily and James came up yet again.