Awoken the next morning by an aching at his ribs James swung his legs around his bed trying hard to move as little as possible. His mind started to retrace the events of last night: the common room, the fight, the kiss, Lily, it all came back as James broke out in a shameless smile. For years all James could think about was sharing a moment like the one from last night with the red headed girl. Sitting on his bed as his roommates slowly awoke for the day of classes that lie ahead James got ready much slower than usual realizing his ribs were far from healed. He didn't share his exciting new with any of his friends despite the fact he was practically bursting inside, instead he gloried in the fact it was their little secret for the time being. Descending the staircase into the common room that morning the four boys spotted their girl counterparts standing by the portrait hall whispering about something. "Good morning gals!" "Any exciting new you'd like to share with us?" Sirius said announcing their arrival. "Sirius can I talk to you for a second?" Lily said stepping aside so the rest of the group could ahead out to breakfast. James looked at Lily with questioning eyes wondering what she could possibly have to say that didn't include the events from last night "yeah uh- sure" Sirius said equally confused. The rest of the group departed leaving the dark haired boy with his Head Girl. "Professor McGonagall came to me this morning… it would appear a group of Slytherin students left Hogwarts last night and are believed to have joined the ranks of the death eaters." "Oh Lil if this is about bella you know I've suspected her for awhile now its not much of a-" "Sirius although Bella was among the group its not her I was worried about its… well its Regulus." Lily looked into his eyes waiting for him to start yelling or screaming at her telling her she had been mis-informed. She wished she had been, she kept asking her professor if this was some sort of mistake, but at least she was left to inform one of her best friends his only brother, the brother he spent years trying to keep out of trouble had ended up joining the ranks of the darkest wizard this world had seen. "Lily… how… he couldn't have… I know Reg, hes misguided sure but he isn't a KILLER he wont be able to…" "Sirius, Professor McGonagall said she was positive it was Regulus, she saw the group leaving and it was he who left a notes… a note for you." Sirius looked into his friends outstretched hand to see a small piece of parchment with his name written in his brothers hand writing. He sat down looking down at the note unfolding it.
Dear Sirius,
I know you'll be mad at me. I'm sorry but I really have no choice. The Dark Loard is rising and I hope in time you'll come to your senses and join me on the proper side. Regardless know I love you and always admired you for being brave enough to do what you thought was right.
Wishing you all the best,
REG.
Crumpling the paper and attempting to throw it in the fire but watching it lands a few feet away on the floor. Lily walked over bending down to grab the note before straightening it out, folding it nicely, and handing it back to her friend. "He meant a lot to you Sirius… don' t throw him out because he made a wrong choice." Her words were true although painful that he would now have to live with the fact every Death Eater attack that was reported would somehow be linked to his kid brother who despite his best efforts had ended up on the wrong side of the tracks.
James who upon hearing the news punched a wall was now nursing his hand while trying to eat a stack of pancakes when Lily and Sirius arrived in the Great Hall. Sirius sat down on one side of James while Lily took the other sliding a hand onto his leg under the table as they aired a quick look of sympathy before diving into their breakfast. The post arrived on cue and with no one in the mood to read of more attacks the group got up to shuffle off to their classes. James and Lily hung behind the group as they made their way down to the dungeons for Potions letting their hands brush sending sparks to their stomachs. "Have you told anyone?" James questioned looking for some guidance on how to handle the next few days. "No… it was late when I got back to the dormitory both girls were already asleep and… I wasn't sure if you wanted to tell anyone yet…" "I do want to tell people, heck I'd like to scream it from the conservatory tower… but maybe we let it be our little secret for a few days until we get use to things? I mean sneaking around seems like a bit of fun doesn't it?" Jame said flashing an enchanting smile at his new found girlfriend.
As it would happen keeping a secret relationship was much more fun than either of the two students had anticipated. Lily became very familiar James Invisibility cloak and hidden passageways, specifically the ones leading to no where. After classes, before dinner, and during very quiet hours of the night after their friends had gone to bed Lily and James could be found snogging in some dark forgotten corner of the castle enjoying their shared secrets. As sneaky as they had thought they had been however, suspicion started to creep into the minds of their friends and one Friday night in November the Marauders decided to take matters into their own hands. "How do we know when to leave Padfoot?" Wormtail said whispering into the dark room. "We just watch and once they leave we follow them its that simple Wormy" Sirius replied. Sitting on his bed with Remus and Peter on either side of him watching the Marauders Map watching the two names "Lily Evans" and "James Potter" make a move. "I still think we should let them tell us themselves" Remus argued but neither friend bothered to respond. After twenty minutes or so the two naps moved from the couch infront of the fireplace, out the portrait all, and down the corridor towards the humped witched. "Hey! Wake up their moving!" Sirius said nudging his friends who were dozing off. "Lets go!" he continued jumping from his bed. "But we don't have the cloak… what if someone comes?" Peter was suddenly very unsure of the idea. "Wormtail stop worrying we know this castle better than anyone, if someone comes we hide, if you're that worried just come as a rat" Sirius said putting his bed robes on over a worn t-shirt and pajama bottoms. Peter transformed into a rat and ran to the foot of Remus knowing he would carry him much more carefully than Sirius would. Slipping the chubby rat into his pocket the two boys and rat made their way to the portrait hall following James on the map. "He went into the witches hump" Remus said updating Sirius on the status of their friend. "Great, lets slip through the shortcut behind the tapestry just to be safe." Making their way to the humped witch proved to be no problem at all and before long Sirius was taping on the back of the hump whispering the password to revel an opening to the passageway their friend was sure to be behind. As Remus made his way in after Sirius he removed Peter still in rat form from his pocket putting him on the floor so he could scurry ahead to find their preoccupied friend.
Meanwhile further down the hidden passeway a very distracted James Potter was in the arms of his girlfriend midway though a passionate exchange. Kissing his neck James leaned against the wall for support as his hands found their way to Lilys tight bum "James…" she gasped as she moved her fingers to intertwine with his hair. He began to kiss her lips moving her hips closer to him leaving very little between the two. Suddenly he felt something clamor onto his foot and then scratch at his leg. Breaking the kiss he looked down as Lily let out a short scream before James lit the passageway with his wand seeing a very familiar fat rat at his feet. Picking it up to look at it his stomach sank "James! That is disgusting put it down!" she was obviously not a fan of rats. "Damn it Wormtail how did you find us? Are the other two here?" There was a sneaking in return as Lily was suddenly very confused why her boyfriend was talking to a Rat. "James what in the world have you gone looney?" she said trying to get some sort of explanation for the strange scene. "It looks like our secret is no longer our secret love, Mooney… Padfoot come out you daft nifflers!" Suddenly the two boys come from the shadows both red from laughing so hard at the sight of their friend right near shagging Lily Evans. "Really Prongs? Couldn't give us a little update as to where you had been sneaking off too?" Sirius said still trying hard not to laugh. "I'm sorry Prongs I really did try to talk them out of this one, but Padfoot was… well you know" Remus explained as he bent down to pick up the rat again off the dirt floor. "What did you find us?" Lily was still standing besides James looking both confused and violated. "That is something you don't need to worry about doll, just know we all have suspected you for quite some time… just needed to see if with our own eyes" Sirius was obviously very proud his instincts had been correct. "I think its time we take our leave Padfoot, Prongs… Lily… Have a good rest of your night we will see you in the morning" Remus said grabbing his friends shoulder with one had with the rat in the other and lead them down the dark corridor towards the castle. As the sound of their footsteps disappear into the darkness James braced himself for what was sure to come. "Lily… I'm so sorry! I swear I didn't know they would find us I-" "James stop its fine its just… well it was kind of hot keeping a secret for awhile wasn't it?" her wards surprised him but he understood. "Also… what was with the rat?" she finished. Running his fingers through his hair thinking quickly as to how to cover up the secret behind their illegal animgus status "Its one of Sirius's pets that Remus has ended up taking care of… you know him always finding stray things and taking them in." It wasn't a lie Sirius was always finding stay ferrets or owls and took them in, the only part of the lie was that he took in the rat. Lily seemed to accept this because she didn't ask any further questions as they made their way back to the opening of the secret passageway slipping the invisibility cloak on and made their way back to the Common Room. "I guess this means I should tell the girls if thats alright with you?" She asked when they made it to the foot of the girls dormotories. "Of course you can, I'm excited to have it out in the open… maybe now I can hold your hand on the way to class" James said as his arms wrapped around her waist. "Maybe you can Mr. Potter… but for now I think we should find our way back to our respective dormitories." With a hug and a quick kiss the two Head students made their way back to their beds ready to face tomorrow side by side.