/N: Heck yes. . . this is the new chapter of James Potter. . . i updated what? like a week ago (today is 11/29/10) i think. anyway, thanks for getting me to 131! YES i love everyone who reviewed this and everyone who have this in theirr favorites/alerts. BUT special thanks to PinkPearl89 who read over the last chapter and really helped me with that one scene. . . haha
SO i noticed I could've actually ended the story right there. . . the moment when they actually fall in love and everything. but this is Summer with Potter. Not Summer with Potter leading up to the point of when they kiss. Nope, that is most definitely not the title. (I suck at spelling definitely. it takes me like 20 tries. haha) so, not to spoil everything, but that will most likely be the most climactic chapter ever in this story. Hey, some summers are just all fun, ya know? no evil from U no poo. Plus they're in italy. he hates italy. everyone knows that. XD
I digress, this story will probably just be them having fun, partying and what not. also, because Jo never tells us when Sirius' birthday is, I'm just gonna take a guess and say it's in the summer. so that chapter will be soon. I'm actually trying to think of what day it would be right now. . . i think it's like June 25 ( something like that because i'm making it so the full moon is at the end of June. I mean, Remus is coming is THIS CHAPTER 3. I'm a guy. that heart might confuse you, but I just think The LUNAR BOY a.k.a. Remus is fricken amazing!) SO yeah. Sirius will be having a birthday party with his closet friends. in all my other stories, I have his birthday in . . . april. but we need some birthday here.
Anything else? uh. . . yeah. . . i'm thinking this story might only be about 23 chapters. (I know, we're only in the end of June, but I'll be skipping a few weeks some time later to get to another Remus full moon time. . . . and then we won't have one in august) . . . so that's the basic plan. although, you never know. Who here actually writes a story and has a plan? the only chapters I ever had planned out were the last one and the first one.
I'd rather let a story write itself.
(12/1/10) _UGH. I'M definitely SICK. but the good news is it's the first day of christmas. WOO. (at least in my charts). so, if i'm sick tomorrow, I'll most likely get alot done. WOO. again.
(12/3/10) _writer's block is a b****. honestly, it's so fricken bothersome. I've been trying to write this, and I have fricken time. but I can't seem to voice my own. ugh.
(12/4/10) _sitting down and just writing. . . BRAIN. stop wandering to the interwebs!
(12/6/10)_I hate ADD. honestly, it's going to be the death of my career. haha. Well I'm trying to write, and I really want to get it done by this weekend, because I won't have ANY time next week. Cause that's finals week.
(12/23/10)_wow. I suck at life. i'm definitely finishing today. maybe.
(12/24/10)_I'm going to finish it!
(12/25/10)_I hope to finish it today. if not. . .ugh.
(thanks reviewers!)
ALSO, Next chapter, PottedLilies, I'm stealing Vanessa. there's your heads up.
Disclaimer: I wish I had this entire world in my very pocket, but, alas, i only have this slight story which I borrow many ideas from Jo Rowling. also, James Bond is not my bro, or mine.
P.S. this is the day moony comes, so about three days after the last chapter. YEAH!
Werewolf of London. . . in Italy?
Well, I saw Lon Chaney walkin with the queen, doing the werewolves of London.
I saw Lon Chaney Jr. walkin with the queen, doin the werewolves of London
I saw a werewolf drinkin a pina colada at Trader Vic's
And his hair was perfect.
-Warren Zevon
(Line)
"5 hours, 26 minutes. . ."
"5 hours, 25 minutes. . . "
"5 hours, 24 minutes. . . "
"5 hours, 23 minu-"
"PADFOOT. SHUT UP," James roared, walking into Sirius' room, throwing a large pillow at him. James looked barely awake, his hair standing up more than usual. "Some people, LIKE ME, are trying to get some sleep before the big night!"
"But James," Sirius pleaded, shoving the pillow off his face, "Remus is coming."
"Yes," said James, rolling his eyes, "I know. I've been listening to you count down for the past ten minutes."
"Have you really?" said Sirius amused by his friend. "I've been doing it for the past two hours."
"You're mental."
"Eh. Some might agree."
"Most would."
Sirius threw him a dirty look. "That hurt, James."
"You'll live," the other boy said, walking over to his friend.
"Can you believe it?" said Sirius excitedly. "We've spent almost whole month away from Remus. I wonder how he's been doing. . ."
The exchanged glances, cringing. Probably not that great.
"Well buck up," James said, clapping his friend on the back, "Or stag up. Get it?"
"James. You're jokes suck."
"Hey. that's the first time I've ever used that. At least I don't repeat my joke all the time," He added, pointedly staring at Sirius.
Sirius glared right back. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"I'm seriou-," James said mocking him.
"Actually I'm Sirius." said person blurted out, winking. "Oh. sorry. Reflex."
"See?" said James incredulously, "You can't help yourself."
Sirius growled. "Your parents like it."
"Yeah, because you're basically their son," said James, shaking his head. "Which reminds me. How are we going out with Moony?"
"Uh," Sirius said, giving his friend an odd look, "probably by turning into our animagus form?"
"I know that," an annoyed James said. "I mean, how are we going to get past my parents. They don't know about us."
"So then let's tell them," Sirius said, jumping up. "They'll probably both say, 'oh James! Sirius! You two are so smart and amazing. We're glad you hide this from us!'."
James grabbed the back of Sirius' shirt. "They're most definitely not going to say that. Most likely, they're ground us forever."
"I like my idea better."
"As do I, but you never know what they'll say. So we're not telling them."
Sirius grunted angrily.
"Padfoot?"
"Fine," said Sirius, "but we'll have to tell them eventually. I mean, you told Lily. There's no why she can keep a secret for much longer."
"I have faith in Lily," James said indignantly. "I doubt that she would tell a secret I don't want her to tell."
"I still don't get why you told her," Sirius replied, ignoring everything James said. "I know you're in love with her and everything, and that's cool, but you've only been really dating for about-" He paused, checking his watch, "-two days."
"Hey brother," James said, running a hand through his hair, "I don't know if you noticed but, I've been in love with lily for, well, I dunno, FOREVER. SO I'm going to tell her right when I trust her. Plus, you told Selina about ten minutes into dating her," added James, shaking his head.
"That's not true!" said Sirius, his eyes narrowed. "I told her about. . . three days into dating her. Longer than you and Lily!"
"But I'm in love with Lily!" James yelled, glad he had already cast muffliato.
"And I'm in love with Selina!" Sirius shouted back.
The conversation suddenly felt more serious, like there was something new between them.
"You what?" James choked out, deeply shocked.
"Yeah, that's right," said Sirius, ignoring his brain, listening to his heart, "I'm in love with her."
"You've never said that and meant it. Ever."
"I know," Sirius said, sitting back down. "I feel different. Like something powerful and weakening has come over me. I can do everything and nothing."
James smiled. He actually meant it. "When did you first decide you loved her?"
Sirius thought for a moment, going into his "thinking man" pose. "I dunno, ages ago probably. I suppose I never knew what it meant until now. This is the first time I even said it, much less thought it."
James studied his friend for a moment. "Why?"
"Huh?"
"Why do you like her?"
"Uh. . ."
James rolled his eyes. "Do you even have any reasons?"
"Yes," and affronted Sirius muttered, "I have loads."
"Would you care to share?" James asked, bowing like a servant.
"Noice rhyme," Sirius said, patting James' head. "Well, she's pretty, that's one thing. Like really beautiful. She's kind, and she's a bit like me, actually no she's not. but still has a few qualities like me. She is the other half I've been looking for, someone I've been afraid to find for so long. I've never felt so strongly about love, you know that. But when I started dating her, I knew there was something special. I could've ended it like I do with every other girl many times. I could've taken the exits; three days, two weeks, six months, but I keep coming back to her. Her hair, her face, her smile, her laugh. Every time she calls me an idiot, the way she sounds when she sleeps, her ideas that barely ever work without my help, her everything. I just love her."
James stared at him for a moment. "How long have you been working on that?"
"Three weeks," Sirius said sheepishly, "I'm actually surprised I didn't have to use one of my notecards. I thought I had forgotten some of it. Why do you love Lily?"
"Really? You're actually going to ask that?"
Sirius thought back to the countless speeches and declarations of Prong's love in the common room, the great hall, and the boys' dormitory. "Guess not. by the way, 5 hours and 8 minutes. . ."
James ignored the last part. "Now as I was saying, Mum and Dad don't know that Remus is a werewolf, much less we are animagus."
"What?" sputtered Sirius, "You haven't told them he's a werewolf? That's a bit weir- 5 hours and 7 minutes. . ."
"I knew they wouldn't let him come during the full moon if they knew, so I just kept a secret these past two years. It hasn't really mattered," James added, shrugging. "There's a huge dark forest behind the Potter Manor, so it was never a problem. But out in the open, on a beach, this is going to be harder to keep under lock."
"So we'll just have Lily-5 hours and 6 minutes-tell your parents that we're gonna be hanging around at her house," said Sirius, trying to calm his friend.
"I dunno if she'll buy that though, especially if we come home at like seven in the morning with cuts and bruises," James said, worried.
"Well we'll say we're having a . . ." Sirius paused in thought. "Prongs, what are those things called?"
"If I knew what you were talking about I woul-"
"-Ah yes! Lily can say we're having a mo-vey marathon on her Tellervis."
"What's that?" James asked, suddenly excited.
"It's that box thing with the flashing colors and little people in it. . . "Sirius waved his hand impatiently. "Never mind that. Lily can make up that lie, and then we'll be home free."
James eyes Sirius warily. Sirius was no mastermind, but his plan sounded good enough. "Fine, but we should think about telling Mum and Dad about Remus soon."
Sirius shrugged. "All right. But we should probably go find Lily and Selina. 5 hours and 5 minutes."
"Good morning, love."
The words tickled Lily's right ear, her body shivering. She smiled slightly, waking up from a misty dream involving the beach and James. Lily wished she could stay in there forever, but she knew the real world was even better.
"Hello," whispered Lily, shifting her head to look up at the hazel eyed boy whose arms were now around her. "What brings you here?"
"Time to get up," He murmured, running a hand through her hair for a change.
She glanced at the digital clock. "Merlin James, it's only 7:06. Why would I want to be up right now?"
James grinned. "Because I'm here waiting for you."
With those six words, a memory came streaming back to Lily, of a time before they were in love.
It was a cold morning in spring, and James had somehow been able to make his way into the girl's dormitory (He later said the Marauders had created a magical umbrella that would float them to the top of the girl's staircase if they sang Singin' in the Rain).
"Wake up." He had said, poking her in the eyes.
"Ow! Hey," Lily said drowsily, not noticing who was standing above her, "I'm up, I'm up."
Lily slowly pulled herself out of bed a yawn escaping. She opened the windows, only to find that the sun had only just risen. Who would've woken her up this early?
She turned around to see James Potter smirking, acting like he had just pulled the greatest prank ever. Lily tried holding her anger in, hoping that maybe for once he had a good reason for being so stupid.
"Potter," She whispered, her fists clenched, "What are you doing in here? DId you need something? More importantly, why did you think it would be smart for you to wake me up?"
"Because," James said, a conceited grin flashing across his face, "I'm here waiting for you."
"Potter. Get the hell out of here now."
"Lily?" James murmured against her neck, waking her from the past, "are you okay?"
"Hm?" She asked, slightly out of things. "Sorry, I was just thinking."
"Spacing out is more like it," He chuckled, sitting up. "what were you thinking about?"
"Uh. . . stuff."
"Stuff," James said wisely, stroking his chin, "Ah yes, stuff. How could anyone forget the greatness of stuff. That may be the smartest thing I've ever heard you say. Honestly you are so smart."
"Shut up," Lily said, jumping out of bed. "I'm awake, and I don't like it."
"Eh, get over it," replied James, shrugging. "At least you're not Selina."
They both paused for a moment to listen for Selina and Sirius across the hall. She had been staying at the Evans' summer home since appearing at Lily's front door.
"WHAT THE F SIRIUS?" they heard Selina roar through the walls. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE KIDDING ABOUT THE ICE WATER!"
"Sorry!" Sirius shouted in a strangled voice, "I jus- 4 hours and 25 minutes."
"See?" James said, laughing slightly, "You don't want to be her."
"I suppose you're right," Lily agreed, making her bed, "so what's the plan today?"
"Well," James said, shuffling his feet, "Sirius and I need you're help with someth-"
"No," Lily immediately said, crossing her arms.
"But you don't even know what it is!"
"I know that voice James Potter, and I know you're being troublesome."
"What if it's good trouble?"
"I've never heard of something like that," said Lily, keeping her stance.
"Challenge accepted!" James shouted, jumping onto Lily's bed in triumph. "I'm going to show you good trouble! But I digress, me and Sirius need you're help."
"First things first," said her, "It's 'Sirius and I', not me and Sirius. Learn some grammar. Second, what am I doing?"
"Well Remus is coming today," said James, running a hand through his hair, "and we're going to be out and about, like we usually are. The thing is, my parents don't know really that Remus is a werewolf or Sirius and I are animaguses-es. We want you to tell my parents that we, as in us cinco, are having a mo-vi marathon. Comprendor?" He added, grinning weakly.
Lily groaned, her hands in her face. "You're killing me James. Not only were there so many things wrong with everything you said, but you're making me LIE to your parents."
"So?" said James in a relaxed manner, "I lie to them all the time."
"This is different!" Lily said. "I can't lie to them! If they ever found it, they would never trust me again."
"Which is why they won't find out," said James coaxingly. "Plus, if they did find out, they would understand you were doing it to help a friend. You'd earn even greater respect from them, especially my father."
"As wonderful as that sounds, I don't really want lie, okay? Selina can do it."
"Like she'll agree."
"Well she should, she loves lying."
"Cool."
"Fine."
"Hey," Sirius said, pushing the door to Lily's room open, "4 hours and 23 minutes until Remmie gets here."
"Cool," James said again, a lump caught in his throat.
"Whoa," said Sirius, immediately sensing tension, "what's with you two? Are you arguing?"
"Maybe," Lily murmured, feeling like a thief caught stealing.
"Well F off and stop!" Sirius yelled. "Honestly, you guys have been dating for what? almost a month-"
"We just got back together a few days ago-"
"Don't interrupt me," Sirius said, waving his hand impatiently. "You were still together, I swear it. And you've been in love with each other for almost twenty years-"
"-I'm not even eighteen!" James shouted.
"Stop interrupting me," said Sirius, agitated with both of them. "Honestly, you two can't argue because it's fricken stupid. So get your brain out of the gutter, cause it's not agreeing with your heart. Selina?" He added, looking at the girl who had just entered.
"Uh," Selina said, momentarily surprised, "Yeah. Ditto."
"I agree," Sirius said, nodding his head."
"No," Selina said, shaking her head, "don't be an idiot. You can't agree with me agreeing with you. It doesn't make sense, 'kay?"
Sirius fell to his knees, covering his ears. "Don't say that word!"
"I shouldn't say 'kay?" Selina asked innocently.
Sirius nodded in response, opening his eyes.
"'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay!" Selina shouted, mischievously giggling. "'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'kay, 'KAY!"
"AUGH!" Sirius cried, curling up into a ball. "Why are you killing me woman?"
"You bleeding hypocrite," said James, now laughing, "you're one to talk about not arguing."
"Yeah, but this is cute arguing with fun filled awesomeness," Selina responded for Sirius, stopping her rampage. "You guys argue and argue."
"That's how we've always been," Lily said, putting her arm around James waist, "and I expect that's how we'll always be."
"But we're different now," James said, turning to look at Lily. "You're not Evans-"
"-and you're not Potter," Lily finished for him, smiling. "We grew up."
He leaned down, chastely kissing her.
"I'm gonna hurl," Sirius said from the ground.
"Shut up," an almost crying Selina said, kicking him in the stomach. "This is so much cuter than us."
"Hey!" the shaggy haired boy said, jumping up, "We are extremely cute!"
"Yeah, but they're cuter."
"No."
"Yes."
"Definitely not."
"Most definitely."
"Are you high? Because you're definitely on something," Sirius said, trying to look angry.
Selina glared at him. "I'm going to kill you because of that accusation."
Sirius whimpered, falling to the floor. "I was just kidding. duh."
"Yeah," Selina said menacingly, "that's what I thought."
Continuing, she turned back to Lily and James who were watching them with mild amusement. "By the way, I heard what you said. I'm in, I love lying."
Lily chuckled, watching James' expression. "Told you, I have weird friends."
Sirius stood up, clutching his side. "Sugar and butter. Now. . ."
"Yeah," James said, laughing outright, "compared to mine? Nah."
4 hours and 19 minutes, when the four of them had eaten breakfast and were sitting in the Potter living room, Remus appeared at the front door. He reached to knock, but the door was opened by someone else. Sirius Black stood in front of him.
"Ah, Moony," Sirius said as calmly as possible, "We've been expecting you. Actually, I have."
"What?" Remus said, confused. "I didn't tell you when I'd be getting here."
"Wait what?" James called from inside. "Sirius, you've been counting down even though you had no idea when?"
He shrugged. "I took a guess and I was right."
Remus walked in, dropping his small suitcase with a tired sigh. He looked the same as he had in the beginning of June, if not older. His face was paler, his eyes a darker color, and his hair was graying slightly. His long face was positioned in a weak smile, for the thought of seeing all his friends couldn't break him. His tattered robes looked even older, but his attitude was mature. He didn't feel any hate towards the pain he had or the problems it brought. He took it all in stride with a smile and a prank. Plus, his three best friends shared it with him.
"Remus!" The two girls shrieked, jumping up to give him a hug.
"Hello," He said, chuckling.
Soon the two boys jumped up to hug him, causing them all to fall to the ground, piling on Remus. "This is awesome."
"Yup!" Sirius said, smiling.
"Sarcasm," Remus said, rolling his eyes. "You guessed huh?"
"Yeah," Sirius said once they were all back sitting down, "nothing big."
"Selina did the same thing a couple days ago," Lily piped up, leaning her head back on James' shoulder. "She told me I was going to kiss James by the end of the day, and she was right."
"Wait what?" Remus said after a double take. "You guys are together?"
"Yeah Lunar boy," said Sirius, laughing. "Didn't you hear?"
"I haven't really gotten any letters or news from anyone here," Remus said simply, ignoring the irritation boiling up inside.
The other four sat awkwardly, feeling guilty.
"We've just been kinda busy," Lily said, looking down at her fidgeting hands.
"I can see that," said Remus, a grin cracking his cold exterior.
Remus didn't hate them for keeping him out of the loop. He lived that way, this was his life. He might as well be living in a different world. Did he resent James for inviting Sirius before inviting him? No, because he was the runner-up to Sirius in the best friend "competition" and he liked that. If he was James' best friend, he might've been a prankster like Sirius. Plus, because Sirius can't completely understand life, Padfoot might just resent him even more. If James was the sun, Lily was Mercury, Sirius is Earth with Selina as the moon, Remus is Jupiter (Because Jupiter can eat all the other planets easily), and Peter is Pluto.
"By the way," Remus added, turning to Sirius, "I win."
Sirius cursed quietly, earning a head knock by Selina. "I thought you going to forget about that bet."
"Obviously not."
"Wait," Lily interjected, watching them with interest, "what are you two talking about?"
"We made a bet around when you and James were finally gonna kiss," Sirius said nonchalantly, bracing for the worst. "I said seventh year, and Remus said sixth to the beginning of seventh. Damn you."
"What is wrong with you two?" Lily screeched, amused to see Sirius slowly and angrily dropping galleons in Remus' hand.
"Yeah," James added, disappointed, "why wasn't I in on this?"
He also earned a smack, this coming from Lily.
"It's okay though," Remus said, "at least we knew you two were finally going to get together."
"And how did you know that?" Selina asked, narrowing her eyes.
Remus made light of this. "Intuition I suppose."
"And," said Sirius, a mad glint in his eyes, "I figured it out after James had a huge speech in the dormitory in fifth year."
"What did he say?" Lily asked curiously.
"Well, He started off with, 'You know, I was jus-"
"No no no!" James yelled, covering his ears, "We are not talking about this. I know where this leads, and we are not talking about this."
"Oh," Selina whimpered, "but I want to hear this."
"No."
"Please?"
"It's rather personal, Pads," said Remus, mediating the situation. "I don't know why you brought it up."
Sirius huffed grumpily. "Fine."
They sat in an awkward silence while James played with the fringe of an old blanket. Remus stood, leaning against the wall, half his face covered by a shadow. Sirius was laying on the ground, watching Selina read a magazine, who, in turn, was trying very hard to not stare back at her boyfriend. Lily was glaring at an inattentive James.
"So," Sirius asked, breaking the silence, "what's the plan?"
"Shouldn't we think about it without . . her?" Remus added, glancing at Lily urgently.
"What?" Sirius turned to follow his gaze. "Oh Lily? Yeah, Lily knows."
"Wow, I've really been out of the loop."
"Oh Lily knows?" Selina said, exuberantly, "That's wonderful! I was wondering when it would happen."
"Wait," Lily said, confused, "Selina, you know that they're Animagi?"
"Is that the plural form?" James murmured. "I knew I was wrong earlier."
"Of course I know!" said Selina, laughing. "Honestly, you believe Orion wouldn't tell him own girlfriend?"
"When did you find out?" Lily asked, surprised.
"Eh. . . about three days after our first date," Selina said thoughtfully.
"Wow!" Lily said in awe. "You were able to keep that a secret for so long?"
"I know right? I thought I was going to explode or something!"
"Can we please just get back to the task at hand?" Remus shouted, his face in his hands.
Sirius told him the plan. Though it took some time because someone would constantly interject, Remus finally understood.
"So Selina is going to lie?"
"You betcha!" Selina said, excited. "If I could have three favorite hobbies, they'd be making fun of Lily-"
"-Hey!"
"-lying to authority, and the occasional matchmaking."
"When have you done that?" Lily asked.
"Oh what?" Selina said, caught off guard. "Never to you guys, nope, never."
"Before we get all this set, we have to talk to Lily," Remus said, pointing at Sirius.
"We do? Right, we do."
James got up to join them, but he was shoved down. "Hey!"
"Did we say Lily and James?" asked Sirius, as if he was talking to a three year old. "No. We asked for Lily. L-I-L-Y."
Without waiting for an answer, they pulled Lily into the kitchen closing the door and casting a silencing charm.
"What do you think they want?" Selina wondered.
"They want to make sure what's between me and Lily is real and she's not trying something," James sighed, running a hand through his hair. "They do this with every girl."
"And how's that work out for you?"
"They usually can't take it, and I'm single in a matter of minutes."
"Enough about me," James continued, trying to place his mind somewhere else. "How are you?"
"I'm good." Selina said.
Awkward silence.
James decided to try again. "We've never really talked, hav-"
"No." Selina agreed, shaking her head. "We never really get to talk, just us two."
"Well," James said, pausing for quite some time, "tell me about yourself."
"Um, okay," said Selina, closing her magazine. "Well, I have a dad, an older brother, and a younger brother. My mother died when by brother was born, and it's hard living like that I suppose. I don't really like quidditch, but I am pretty good at flying."
"GASP!"
"I don't really have many friends other than you guys, Lily, and Alice. When I was six, I tried juggling knives and that's why I have this scar on my chin," She added, pointing out the mark.
"I've never noticed that before," James said, gazing at the mark.
"Sirius noticed it the first time we spoke," said Selina wistfully. "He says it's what makes me beautiful."
"Why him?" James asked simply, expecting a nice answer. and he got one.
"In the beginning," Selina said, her eyes glazing over, "we thought it was just going to be a fling, Sirius and I. I thought I liked guys who were dangerous and funny and womanized. Then, during our first date, I found out who he really is. The courageous friend, the mischievous genius, the bitter gryffindor, all of him. I ended up falling in love with him that day, like I had finally found some pieces I had been missing. We both had darker pasts and lost some thing along the way. When I was sad, he could make me happy, when he was in pain, I could heal it. Things are just right for us. He's like me a little, but very different. I'm too upbeat for him sometimes. He makes me, me."
James was pretending to cry by the end of it. "That was so. . . so beautiful."
"Be quiet," Selina said, her lip quivering. "If you're so awesome, why don't you tell me why you love Lily?"
"Really?" James asked, slightly surprised. "Haven't you heard enough of that through the years?"
"Yeah, but none of that was rea-. . . Wait, you meant it every time you declared your love for her?"
"Not every time," James said hastily, "but by the end of fifth year I really meant everything. It was never a lie, really. I've loved her since then, and I'll love her til the day I die."
"Aww," Selina said, smiling, "that's so cute! Have you told her this?"
"I've been telling her this for three years," James said, looking away. "If she hasn't received the message yet, I doubt she ever will."
"Buck up," Selina said, winking at him. "You never know what she has and hasn't been listening to."
"What do you mean?"
"Well," said Selina, leaning closer like she was divulging a very important secret, "once, back when she 'hated you', we overheard you and Sirius talking. Then you told him how you wanted nothing else in life than to be with Lily-"
"-and I still do," said James, urgently.
"I know that," Selina assured him, "and so did Lily. She just wasn't ready for that. Plus, the next day you dyed her hair pink, so that didn't really help. . ."
"I did some stupid things," James said, disappointed. "I was a kid back then."
"And you aren't now?"
"No, I'm older. Much older."
"All right," Selina said, grinning again. "So I don't really need to hear a long story of why you love her, eh?"
James smirked. "Not unless you want to."
"I definitely do not," Selina said, waving her hands. "Please, save me from this cruel punishment."
"Hey," Sirius said, walking out of the kitchen with a tired looking Remus and flustered Lily behind him, "what are you doing to my girlfriend?"
"Just talking about how terrible you are to me," Selina answered without skipping a beat. "You know, the usual."
"Anyway," James added, "I could ask you the same thing."
Remus and Lily stifled a laugh. Sirius glared at Selina, ignoring James. "Oh shut up Selly."
"I told you to never call me that, Siri," Selina said, eyes narrowed.
"Anyway," Remus said carefully, defusing the bomb, "we should probably get talking to your parents, James."
"Hey!" Sirius interrupted, "They're my parents too!"
"What?" Selina said, turning white.
"They're my parents too."
"I never thought of that," Selina said, shaking. "Yeah, I can't lie to them."
"What?" James said, shocked, "why not?"
"I can't lie to my boyfriend's parents!"
"See," Lily said triumphantly, "I told you! Lying to them is terrible."
"I'll do it," Remus said, coughing.
"No," James said, "you can't do that!"
"Prongs," Remus said, giving him a weird look, "It's not like I'm sacrificing my life, I'm just lying. You guys are getting too intense about this."
"Still," Sirius said, putting his hand on Remus' shoulder, "we're not going to make you take the bullet if we get caught."
"Please," said Remus, stifling a laugh, "they trust me more than they trust you."
"That's not. . . yeah that's true."
"Anyway, they'd probably take pity on me cause I'm a werewolf."
No one said anything after listening to Remus' bitter words. But even he can't make it alone.
Remus, James, Sirius, and Mr. Potter were sitting in the living room. Well, Mr. Potter was standing, looking over them like a judge. Actually, he looked a lot like James just with contacts, brown eyes, and gray hair.
"So you want to go to the Evans' to watch this. . .?"
"Movie marathon," James supplied for him. "It's some sort of muggle thing."
Remus, who actually took and received an O in muggle studies, explained the finer points to Mr. Potter and the boys.
"Well," Mr. Potter said, thinking, "it's sounds all right."
"WHOO!" Sirius yelled, jumping up and punching the ceiling. "OW!"
"How late do you expect to be there?" Mr. Potter asked, ignoring his second son.
James stopped cheering. "Uh, awhile?"
"As long as you don't do anything. . . you know."
"Thanks dad. You just made things really awkward."
"I'm just saying! I have to because you're mothers out."
"Can we just go?" James said, huffing loudly.
"Can we get ice for my hand first?" Sirius asked, wincing.
(LINE)
"Mr. Werewolf, party of three," Remus said to Selina when she opened the door.
"It's not a restaurant, Remus." Selina said, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, you sound like Orion."
"Really?" Sirius said, throwing an arm around his friend, "Excellent! I've been trying to do that for years."
"It's not happening," Remus denied, shrugging off Sirius' arm. "I would never let my intelligence fall to your level."
James laughed. "All right, so, if you haven't noticed, we're good to go."
"Coolio Julio."
"Hey Pads," James whispered to Sirius as they walked in, carrying bags, "you're girlfriend says weird phrases."
"Hypocrite," Selina sang ahead of them.
"I'm just saying," James protested.
"I'm not the one who says, 'stag up'. Really? Honestly that's stupid."
"When did you even have the time to tell Selina I said that," James said, rounding on Sirius. "I was with you the whole day!"
Sirius winked at him. "I have my ways."
"Hey," Lily said, kissing James lightly, "what took you guys so long?"
"We had to set up some shield charms to enclose Moony so he doesn't run to the town. And, my dad was being awkward," James added, turning pink.
"As in?"
"You don't want to know," Remus said, shuddering. "So how are we doing this?"
"The Parentals are out," said Selina. "Going on some hot date. Probably clubbing."
"Selina!"
"What?" Selina said, looking offended. "That's totally what you're parents are doing!"
The boys laughed loudly at Lily's reaction. "Anyway, my parents are out, and by the time they get back, we'll just tell them you went back home, when you really went out to some forest."
"Yeah," said Selina, still in a joking mood, "They're definitely going to be awhile. I heard them talking about this place they're getting body shots and stuff."
"Selina!" Lily shouted over the boys' laughter. "That is not funny!"
"Oh come on! I'm joking and you know it!"
"That may be, but it wasn't nice."
"Psh," Selina said nonchalantly. "You're parents love me."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Let's get this movie marathon started."
"Yeah," Sirius said, scratching his head. "One question: who's this James Bond guy?"
"It's getting dark, the moon should be out soon," James said, after trying to come up with this sentence for the past ten minutes. TV does that to the brain.
"I don't want to go," Remus whined, sounding like a child. "Can't I just stay here?"
"Yeah, cause that will be extremely safe," Sirius said sarcastically.
"But James Bond is so awesome!"
"Yeah," James agreed, "this Sean Connery guy seems like a boss."
"We know," Selina said, turning off the television so they would get moving. "But, you have to do this."
Remus stood up, not at all acting like his usual self. "When we get back, we're finishing all of these."
"Of course," Lily swore to him, nodding her head urgently. "Now let's get going. We don't want you to transform when you aren't ready."
The three boys shuffled out, but not before James could steal Lily's lips and kiss her warmly. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Don't hurt yourself too badly," Lily whispered against his lips, worried.
"I never do," James said, smiling as he pulled away. "That's usually Sirius job."
"Hey!"
James laughed as they ran out, helping a very exhausted looking Remus out to they're hideaway."
Lily watched them go all the way from her front door.
"He'll be fine," Selina coaxed her quietly, not sounding even a bit bothered.
"How do you know?" Lily asked, turning to her friend, "haven't you ever felt like this for Sirius."
"In the beginning, but then I figured out he was doing it for Remus, and would never stop."
"Hm." Lily had a lot to think about.
Lily felt the first rays of sunshine on her face, waking her up near dawn. She and Selina had stayed up late watching more movies, taking their minds off what was happening outside. She felt pressure on her right hand and glanced over to see James' hand enclosing around hers.
"James," she whispered.
"Hello." His chest rumbled against her back. In any normal circumstances, she would have giggled, but not this time.
"How was it?" She asked, not really wanting an answer.
"Same old, same old."
"How many cuts and bruises did you get?"
There was silence as he counted. "About. . . seventeen."
"Dammit James," Lily breathed, silently fuming. "Why do you do this?"
"There are only two things in this world I care about," James said, slowly inching his lips towards her ear. "You, and my friends. And I would do anything for both."
A/N: NAWWWW! Hey, look I'm sorry it took so long. . . . more than a month I think. but I never had any inspiration until . . . yesterday. I'm sorry guys! Please forgive me and review! I ask for only ten reviewers! that would be amazing! PLEASE?
Thanks guys! I knew I could count on you. Also, thanks for reviewing up til now. you all rock! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! LONGEST CHAPTER EVER. over 7,000 words! WOOT!
~ExP