Chapter Thirteen:

The scene was set.

I had been running around the wizarding part of London like a madwoman, purchasing items left and right. For what, you ask? (and, all right, so you didn't actually ask that) Well, I am going to host a party! No, seriously. I am not going to force myself into James' unwilling heart, but I will make us friends again. I remember before we dated, there was a time when we were friends. That was somewhere between his crazy pursuits of me and then eating each other's tongues (which was so incredibly sexual!). That is the time I want to return to.

With my limited income (I have fixed bank deposits, okay? I mean, do you realize how much interest you can earn from that?) I hesitantly bought my very first crate of alcohol. Although, truth be told, it was Evelyn that had to go in and help me buy it. My awkward speech made the storekeeper think I was actually underage and not eligible to drink alcohol. Thankfully, Evie straightened it all out. I did feel rather affronted, though. Do I look underage?

Then, I went shopping with my girlies (got to stop saying that word). They convinced me to buy a very impractical dress. It was very pretty, but I don't see myself wearing that everyday. I've always preferred comfortable clothes that I can recycle for many different occasions.

"Your problem, Lily, is that you think too much" Evelyn had informed me.

"You need to let go and just go with your simple wants. Stop thinking about how useful something is and just go with what you like!" chorused Jenny.

I considered that for a while and then handed over the money for the goods (wincing a little at the price). Currently, I had hung it up in my room, careful not to damage it while I was straightening up my apartment (not that it really needed it).

Before long, the time had rolled around. I donned my shiny new apparel and checked that everything was in order.

It was as good as it could possibly get.

The ringing doorbell signaled arrival of all madness.

Evelyn, Jenny and Sirius flounced inside, tossing jackets and coats onto my couch. I laughed comfortably, seeing them. The panic inside me quelled a little, realizing they would still be here, supporting me if anything went wrong.

Which, if you know me, is bound to happen.

Remus arrived next, looking tired and careworn, but still relatively happy. Jenny fluttered over with smiles and drinks and lots of attention. I smiled sat how healer-ish she was. But I think Remus enjoyed being fussed over. Jenny could be very matronly when she wanted to.

Sirius, meanwhile was having a ridiculous debate with Evelyn about whether a tomato was a fruit or a vegetable.

"I swear, it's a vegetable!"

"For God's sake, Sirius. Everyone knows the tomato is a fruit!"

"Where is your scientific basis, then?"

"Do you even know what a scientific basis is?"

I knew for a fact that Sirius didn't, but he managed to deftly avoid the question.

"I maintain that tomatoes are vegetables. I eat them in dishes! They get salted! They get stewed! I mean, you never drink fruit soup, do you? It's always fruit juice!"

"Actually, there is also a tomato juice, if you would go out grocery shopping in the Muggle world. And there's pumpkin juice, and the pumpkin is hardly a fruit, is it?"

At this point, I tuned out of their conversation. Peter had arrived. I rushed to embrace him. "Peter! I haven't seen you in God knows how long! How have you been?"

He was shorter than I remembered and had a strange, twitchy way of moving. It was as if he were afraid I would pounce on him like a cat and eat him up. I assure you I had no intention of either pouncing or eating. He muttered some incoherent excuse and scuttled away. I thought it was odd and rather rude of him, but overlooked it all the same. He never was very social, even in our Hogwarts days. I always cut him some slack.

With all members of the party present except one, I was rather anxiously awaiting James. I had it on good word that he was definitely coming (Sirius I would not trust, but Remus assured me so he would be here). The party was beginning rather loudly because the minor debate between Sirius and Evelyn had somehow escalated into an argument. The topic of tomatoes was abandoned (for the time being, anyway) and they were now loudly discussing the relative merits of the opposite sex.

"Men are such arses!"

"Only because they have to put up with women all the time!"

"What do you mean put up?"

"You know exactly what I mean! You get all bitchy when it's that time of month. And whenever we forget one titchy little detail, you start nagging nagging nagging."

"Well, if by titchy detail you mean birthdays and anniversaries, then yes, we do nag nag nag. But honestly, what else do you expect? Unlike men, these things actually mean something to us?"

Remus and Jenny attempted to have a conversation too, but nothing could really be heard over all of Evelyn and Sirius' shouting, so they conceded defeat and sat back on the plush armchair and observed them battle it out with amusement. Peter, by now, had shoved himself into a corner of the room and was sculling firewhiskies at an alarming rate. I considered marching over and confiscating the drinks.

At this point, James was almost half an hour late. Granted, he had always had lateness-tendencies, even while we were dating. But half an hour? With a sinking feeling, I began to despair of seeing him. That was rather unfortunate. I mean, it was always nice to get together with my friends and the Marauders, but this plan was all about begging forgiveness from James! Without him, all my troubles had gone to waste.

In the midst of my hopelessness, Remus had drifted over. "You look nice tonight, Lily."

"Yes, doesn't she?" called Evelyn from across the room. She was known for her many talents, and I suppose multi-tasking was one of them. Somehow, she was managing to argue with Sirius and keep track of all the goings-on in the room at the same time. Having offered her contribution to this side of the conversation, she turned back with renewed vigor.

"You know, Sirius. Men hardly bathe. You all have disgusting hygiene habits."

Sirius responded with a nasty four-letter word. I shall not repeat it again.

"Remus, I don't think James is going to turn up at all."

"Lily, I promise he is. He told me so himself. And then he told Sirius when he asked."

"But he's half an hour late!"

"He'll be here."

No sooner had Remus said that, the doorbell rang. I jumped, then scrambled to compose myself and open the door.

Smooth hair

Fix smile on face

Straighten shoulders

Dust lint from pretty new dress (which, really, I wore just for James)

Walk towards door

Grasp doorknob

Suppress trembling of hand

Wipe sweat off palm

Grasp doorknob again

Open door

Swallow gasp from mouth

Marvel at how gorgeous James' girlfriend was

That's right. James had shown up, just as he promised. But he hadn't shown up alone.

"James! Come in!" My smile was melting off my face. I struggled to freeze it. Behind me, Evelyn and Sirius had stopped their shouting and everyone had turned towards the door. Nobody spoke. The only sound to be heard was the glug-glug of Peter and his firewhiskey. James helped him girlfriend out of her coat and they stepped inside.

"Sorry I'm a little late. Marley couldn't find her left earring and we got held up."

His companion nudged him softly. He nodded. "Oh, um, this is Marley Ottoms. I hope you don't mind I brought her."

Inside my head, I was screaming with rage and disbelief.

Marley? Marley? He had the nerve to bring his bloody girlfriend? Had it never occurred to her that if she couldn't find her left earring she could wear another pair. How could he saunter into my party half an hour late bringing some leggy arm-candy with him?

But I never voiced my anger. Instead, being the perfect hostess, I swiped two bottles from Peter's little corner and thrusted them at the happy couple. "No, I don't mind at all, James. How do you do, Marley? I'm Lily."

"Oh, yes!" she simpered. "I've heard all about you!" - slut - "You were James' friend at Hogwarts, weren't you?"

The shock pertaining to these events was wearing off slowly and Evelyn had begun arguing with Sirius once more. Understand, though, that there was never any ill intent in their bickering. If anything, it was a good-natured fight, one that was a frequent occurrence in their strange friendship. We never paid it any heed.

With the awkward silence being filled, I rifled through my CD collection to find some music to play. I thought it would better if there was some background sound.

Things weren't going according to plan at all, but I still had a shot. Chance was a fine, flighty thing. Besides, what had I to lose? Even if I failed tonight, there would be many nights to follow.

James was much to gain. And I would have his friendship. Even if it killed me. Unbeknownst to everybody (perhaps even myself), it was already killing me. It killed me to see him with Marley. It killed me to laugh and feign indifference.

It killed me to be next to him.

AN: God, I really have abandoned this fic! But I have returned! I am alive! Everything's so busy, I'm afraid. This is a short chapter. The rest of the party will be in the next chapter. Right now, I'm having an awful lot of fun talking about Sirius and Evelyn. Aren't they ridiculous? It's funny just writing about them!