Chapter 12

After about a quarter of the bottle, she didn't seem to feel anything and it made her rather happy to know she wasn't a lightweight. However, once the liquid reached just under the label, Lily found that all she could do was giggle and lay back on the couch watching the drunken twins in front of her stumble about the den, attempting to top one another's drunken tales from the past. "That's not even close to the time I walked in on your parents!" Sirius laughed tripping backward over his own feet. "You walked in on my Parents!" James screamed, horror clearly visible in his eyes. "I never told you about that?" Sirius rubbed his chin looking at the ground in thought. "No! You bloody well didn't!" James shouted running both hands through his hair, trying to burn the image of Sirius walking in on his parents out of his mind before it could get the chance to imagine more of what he actually saw and scar him for life.

"Huh… Could have sworn I did." Sirius shrugged, falling back onto the couch, spreading his arms out along the back and glancing over at Lily. "So enough about us. Evans! How you feeling?" Attempting to be as sober as possible, she simply smiled and gave Sirius a nice thumbs up. All would have been well, if her body hadn't betrayed her letting out a rather large hiccup the moment she put her thumb down. James and Sirius erupted in laughter, as she felt all of the blood pour into her face. "Shut it." She mumbled looking down at the floor, only to glance up when she felt the couch sink down next to her. James was slouched on the couch in a familiar position that Sirius was smiling at her. "What about your drunken stories?" He asked catching her eye, seeing her quickly look down.

"You don't want to here that." She whispered, glancing up to see shock light up Sirius' eyes, remembering exactly what happened the last, and only time, she was drunk. If he hadn't found her, it would have been a lot worse. "Oh come on Lil's! It can't be that bad." James laughed, his hand sliding down the couch and rubbing the small of her back. Chills rushed through her and he felt her shiver under his hand. He glanced up at Sirius trying to get him to back him up, but as he caught Sirius' eye, he could see the nervousness spread across his face. "What don't you two want me to know?" James glanced between the two of them, seeing they were both avoiding his eye contact. "Did something happen between the two of you? Did you have sex!" James pushed himself up, and glared at them with a slight wabble, trying to stand up straight. "Merlin No!" Lily shrieked glaring at him. "Do I look like that horrible of a friend to you, Prongs? Besides, Evans is still a virgin." Lily's head snapped over to see Sirius laughing slightly. "Shut it Black!"

"What Evans? I'm just telling the truth!" She glanced down, embarrassment reading even more on her face now. James began to relax a bit more and sat back down next to Lily, his hand making its way back to where it had sat before. Lily sat there surprised for a moment as the hand returned but didn't say anything. Primarily because she liked him being so close to her and if she said anything, he would take his hand away. She couldn't understand why, but James being so close to her gave her comfort that she rarely ever felt from anyone but her father. "So if it wasn't that. Then how bad can it be?" Lily mumbled something quickly and Sirius' eyes doubled in size. "Lily…" He leaned forward trying to catch her eyes. "It was bound to come out eventually Sirius." She looked up at him and glared. Letting out a long breath, she turned to face James and made sure their eyes locked. "You have to promise me you wont get mad." He saw the fear in her eyes and realized he needed to put any jealousy aside for her. "I promise." He sighed.

"Lily!" Sirius yelled finally pushing himself up. "Sirius! Fuck off!" She snapped glaring at him. "I wasn't hurt and I got out of there in time! He promised me he wouldn't get mad!" James began to look back and forth between the two of them with deep concern. "Wait. Get hurt? What the fuck happened?" He raised his hand to her cheek, pulling her face toward his. Her heart began to race as his face was inches from hers and she felt as if she was going to faint. "I know about Remus!" She sputtered out closing her eyes tight and turning her head out of his hands. He glanced at Sirius who had buried his head in his hands. James quickly glanced back at Lily and pulling her face up into both of his hands. "Lily! Look at me!" He whispered staring concerned at her face. She finally opened her eyes to see his face and let out a soft sigh, as she saw no anger there. "What happened Lils?"

"It was the first time I drank. My mind was so off." She choked out, trying not to cry again in front of James. "I was dared to go in the forbidden forest and pick some stupid flower. It was the full moon." She felt his hands tense near her face and they slid down to her hands, grasping them tightly. "He had me cornered and if that wolf hadn't shown up and drawn his attention away. I don't know what would have happened." The tear ran down her cheek as she closed her eyes. She could hear Sirius let out a sigh behind her and knew she couldn't take it back. James glanced up at Sirius to catch his eye. Giving him a nod and mouthing 'Thank you' while she wasn't looking.

"Sirius found me running through the forest a few minutes later." She mumbled turning herself toward the fire and leaning back against the couch. "Marlene told me about the dare. I ran down to the forest to get you." Sirius shrugged finally sitting back down. "She put two and two together as we walked back to the castle." He let out a yawn, leaning back against the couch and resting his head. James wrapped his arm around Lily pulling her against him. "I don't care that you know because we know you aren't stupid enough to tell anyone. I'm just glad you're safe." He whispered as he rested his head on hers. Lily snaked her arm around his back of and pulled him tighter against her. "I'm not the best drunk." She giggled as she wiped the last remaining tear from her cheek. " None of us are." James laughed as he gestured to Sirius who had passed out on the couch opposite of them.

"So much for his tattoo." He laughed, unwrapping himself from Lily and crossing over to Sirius, laying the blanket on the back of the sofa over him. "I think he forgot about that hours ago." She laughed more, seeing how peaceful he looked asleep and how it was completely different from the monstrosity he was when he was awake. James returned to the spot on the couch next to Lily, leaning back and staring at the fire. He began to zone out, letting images of Remus flash through his mind from when they had gone out to run with him this past year. If you weren't used to it, he was extremely frightening and imagining Lily up against that caused his stomach to churn.

"Cancer." Lily broke the silence between them and James jumped slightly. "What?" He turned to see her staring at the fire as well. "Cancer. The reason I didn't go to France." He sat there for a moment, not sure what on earth she was talking about. "The astrological sign from Divination?" She let out a small laugh, glancing over at him. "It's a disease that Muggles can catch. In most cases it spreads too far and can cause death." Worry spread across his face and he slid himself closer to her. "My dad has it. Not me. He's had it for about four years now."

"Is there any treatments they can do?" James turned back to the fire, his hand slipping through his hair, letting out a long quiet breath that it wasn't her. "They've tried them all. He got better for a bit and then after last Christmas it all went downhill. Every time I go see him, he's gotten worse." She stared down at her hands, pulling the string on her sweater, unraveling the seams. "Only person I've ever told is Dumbledore and that was because I wanted to see if there was a potion that could work." He glanced over at her out of the corner of his eye. " Not even Marlene or Celia?" He saw the smirk rise slightly on her lips as she twirled the string around her finger. "Not even them. They just know that I had 'A lot of family things I needed to attend this summer.' Never mentioned it was working at a diner to pay for school and visiting my dad in the hospital every couple days."

"Is that why you were crying when I found you?" James' hand slipped around hers as he saw her staring at him out of the corner of his eye. "No. My sister's moving out." She turned back to the fire, feeling the prickling feeling behind her eyes once more. "So you're sad she's leaving?" He squeezed her hand tight, but released it when she stared over at him, frustration being the only thing he could read from her face. "I was upset because my sister didn't even tell me she was moving out because she hates me! Has for six years now and wont stop!" She pulled her hand away from James and crossing her arms across her chest, she leaned back onto the couch glaring at the fire.

"Six years would mean…" He began but she cut him off. "Hogwarts? Magic? I became a Witch and she didn't? Clearly the only thing that makes my sister happy is having everything! I finally had something she didn't and she refuses to speak to me or treat me like a human being because of it!" Her voice cracked and as he turned, James watched a tear flow down her cheek. "She'll let it go eventually Lily. She's a brat, but you're her sister!" He reached out, but as his hand touched her shoulder, she spun to face him, which caused him to jump slightly. "Her sister that she told everyone goes to the London School for the Mentally Impaired? The sister who isn't included in a single decision or big event in her life? Some great relationship we'll have!" She choked out, trying to hold back the tears but couldn't. Right there in front of James, for the third time again that day, she cried. And just like the other times that day, he seemed to surprise her. James wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. There was no teasing or mocking. No rude comments telling her to 'suck it up and be brave'. Instead he stroked her hair and let her cry.

"Just a few more weeks and we'll be back at school. You wont have to see her or hear from her." For some odd reason, those words seemed to calm her down. She wouldn't be working anymore, her sister would be a complete after thought and her mother wouldn't have to worry about the bills for her because she was away at school. Everything could calm down again and Lily could be back with her friends at a place where she belonged. A place that was more of a home to her than the house she was raised in. With that happiness in mind, she curled up against James and relaxed.

X

James awoke to something slamming against his foot and a loud thud following soon after. As he opened his eyes, the light caused his head to throb. He glanced around the room and suddenly froze at what lay beside him. Lily Evans was curled up against him still and this time, she was the peaceful sleeper he had always imagined. Not like back at the World Cup where he compared her to a monster. "Never thought I'd see this happen except maybe in your dreams, Prongs." Sirius laughed as he leaned against the bathroom door, Hand resting on his head with his eyes squinting at the light like James. "Little hung over are we?" Sirius quickly held his hand up to James, flipping him off.

"Pansies." James and Sirius both jumped as Lily's voice sounded as she sat up and stretched. "What and you're not hung over? You drank as much as us!" Sirius scowled at her in disbelief. "Probably more actually." James laughed, watching her smirk over at him. "I may not drink often. But I'm no lightweight." Sirius stared at her for a moment and then stomped past them into the kitchen. They sat there quietly for a moment and out of the corner of her eye, Lily could see James just smiling at her. "Guys! Get in here!" Sirius yelled from the kitchen causing Lily and James to look at each other concerned. They jumped up quickly and rushed into the kitchen to find Sirius petting a jet-black owl. "Hogwarts Letters!" He sang, waving three envelopes in the air. He handed them each of theirs and then began ripping into his own. "How did they know I was here?" She muttered under her breath as she slid her finger along the seam, opening the envelope. "Its Dumbledore, Evans! What doesn't that man know?" Sirius scoffed as he glanced over the list in front of him.

"Well shit…" James muttered staring down at one of the pieces of paper in his hand. "What is it, Prongs? Minnie's list seem unnaturally long to you too?" Sirius asked, staring intently at his list, counting the number of books he needed just for McGonagall. "I'm Captain." He muttered staring back and forth between the letter and the small pin in his hand. "Captain of what? The geek squad in Transfiguration?" Sirius laughed still mulling over the list. "Quidditch Captain." Lily breathed out staring at the pin causing Sirius to look up as well. "Well shit indeed Prongs! Congrats! I thought for sure Meadows was going to get it seeing as it's her last year!" That was the primary thought in James' mind. He was going into his sixth year, why would McGonagall choose him over Dorcas who was going into her final year? He knew she definitely would not be happy opening her letter this morning seeing as she had been expecting the position for the past year. Lily could read from James' face that he was completely unsure about being awarded the position. Dorcas was one of his closest friends on the team and to be awarded something he knew she wanted began an internal battle in his mind. "So did I." James muttered glancing up from the pin at Sirius and Lily.