~I'm aiming to update twice a month, I have a few more chapters planned~
"You really think they'll let today go without a hitch?" Lily asked with a smile. She and James were sitting in a 'horseless' carriage on the way to Hogsmede and somewhat unusually she and James were utterly alone. "Lils, I have been trying to take you on this exact date for seven years. If Sirius bloody Black thinks he can pull some stupid prank to ruin it and survive, he would be very much mistaken." James answered with a smile, putting an arm around her shoulders as the carriage trundled closer to the village. Lily smiled, still not quite believing that the date had been so long in the making. "So I'm guessing that there's a plan to follow f you've had so long to mull this over." She smiled.
"Believe it or not, we're ahead of schedule." He nodded.
"What because we get carriages for safety instead of walking?" She guessed.
"Actually it's because a miracle has happened and you've already agreed to be my girlfriend before we even get on the date.
"Don't lie, up 'til fifth year you thought that one day I'd look at your artfully ruffled hair and crack. That I would throw myself at your feet and beg for your loving mercy because I'd secretly loved you the whole time." She protested. "Isn't that what really happened?" He asked with mock Innocence.
"It was a surrender of sorts" Lily conceded with a smirk. The gentle teasing continued until the carriage slid to a halt in the middle of the village.
Somehow Hogsmede seemed to be a stronghold of good spirit, even safer than the grounds of Hogwarts felt. Lily smiled as they climbed out. "Merlin, I've missed this." She smiled, kicking at a little clod of snow as James hopped down beside her. "So, what's first on the itinerary?" She asked.
"Forget the schedule." He smiled "let's just enjoy the day." He smiled, offering her his arm. She nodded and took his am, leaning into him, happy to leech some of his warmth and have an excuse to stay so close to him.
They made their way through the village, occasionally waving to the people around them they recognised. They received grins and knowing looks as they went. "Madame Puddifoot's?" She teased, watching James pale at the thought of the gaudy little café. "That was struck off the plan after third ear. Nowhere near good enough for this date." She blushed at that. "Flattery gets you nowhere." She warned gently, her cheeks burning in the cold air. James chuckled. "How about Honeyduke's first?" He suggested. With that they started the day by weaving in and out of shops, stocking up on supplies from sweets to ink and parchment. They spent a disproportionately long time looking at quidditch equipment and Lily managed to sneak an owl order into her bag without him noticing, intending to start looking for his birthday gift soon. She wasn't sure if anything would match the kitten he had bought her that grew every day. "Cat food!" she remembered with a groan just as they thought they were done.
"Where are your marauders then?" Lily asked some time later as they wandered aimlessly. "Our Marauders." He corrected. "Probably at the shack, doing repairs." He continued as she looked at him in confusion. "The last moon was pretty bad and it's coming up again. They haven't had a chance to fix the defences since. Today no one expects them to be in the castle so they can do it without being noticed."
"Shouldn't you be with them? She asked with a little guilt. He shook his head. "Sirius says he can do it better without any help. He's probably right so Remus is there to entertain him. Peter is off again."
"Probably with the girl." She smiled "I think it's sweet how private he's being about it. He gets so flustered whenever I ask." James just pulled a face, changing the subject quickly.
"Drink?" He asked, opening the door of the three broomsticks. She sighed and nodded, stepping into the pub. The warmth washed over them as they entered. There was a light hum of conversation though the bar was a little emptier than usual. They took a table to the back of the room. Lily sitting as James went to get the drinks.
She looked down at a growling by her feet. "Hey Padfoot." She whispered, opening her hand as the hound appeared from nowhere. James will kill you if he sees you." She waned. "We're just passing through." Remus whispered, still invisible behind her. "We wanted to see how it was going." Lily smiled shyly. "Well by the looks of it." He guessed, Sirius beating his tail hard in agreement. "I could say the same for you." She whispered, smiling as the dog huffed and vanished. "Bye boys." She smiled, certain they were gone.
You look happy." James commented as he came back.
"Shouldn't I?" She smiled. "I'm on the best date I've ever had." She gave him a second to look smug "… With my boyfriend." She continued as he got snugger. "It's a gorgeous day, I've seen my friends, I have a butterbeer, I'm safe too, what more could I ask for?" She smiled.
"Maybe a kiss?" He ventured.
"Ah, now I understand the schedule. There's a time limit f you seducing me?" She smiled, leaning close, grinning as she finally made him blush. "The great ladies' man Potter down to a blush in a few words." She leaned up and kissed his forehead.
"Schedule, what schedule? You sleep in my bed!" She smacked his arm. "In it, not with you." She said, blushing deeper than him. "And if you carry on that won't change." She said meaningfully." Her smile fading as she looked over his shoulder. "Look" She whispered. "No you look." He grinned, wrapping his arms around her. She giggled. "James I'm being serious, look who came in." He glanced around to see a few of the teachers passing through the bar into a private room but something was odd about their behaviour.
"We need to get in there" He said. "I didn't bring my cloak" He whined, craning his neck as he leaned around the tree to glimpse the rom Dumbledore had entered. "You can't just sneak in, who knows what you'll risk." She said, to which he nodded. "We can edge closer though." Se ginned, grabbing their drinks and casually moving right next to the door, sliding into the little booth there. The door was open a crack, unbelievably, and voices were just audible. "Who's coming today?" McGonagall asked quietly. "The Prewett brothers are coming with nominations for their sister and brother-in-law, Allister is on his way. Aberforth …" She listed names and the two teens listened attentively, failing to recognise the names but knowing that this was Dumbledore's hidden order. "Are you sure it's wise to be putting so man of the students forward as nominations, Albus. They're children." They are all of age, but I do understand your reticence. I will nominate them now, and then they'll be brought before the order. There is every chance they may not become a part of this Minerva."
"You and I both know that the three boys and Lily are more than capable, better than some we already have. Alice too is a very strong dueller, as is McKinnon but the less apt will be dragged into this too. Poor Pettigrew and Longbottom, the order will take them when they aren't ready." She argued. Lily took James' hand as they listened, knowing their Head Of House was right. "The order will only accept those who stand a chance and who want to volunteer. They'll be trained extensively. Rest on it Professor." The Headmaster plead, his voice growing louder.
"He's coming, what if he sees us?" James hissed. Lily hesitated, pushing herself into James' lap and kissing him enthusiastically as Dumbledore poked his head from the small backroom to scan for his colleagues, quickly spotting the two Gryffindors and raising his eyebrows. "Enjoying a fine day I see." He commented. Lily pulled back with a very convincing blush. "Headmaster! I'm sorry." She said "Just got carried away." James nodded silently a happy little grin on his face. "So far ahead of schedule." He hummed to himself. "Don't apologise Miss Evans. There may come a time when you are each other's best defence. There's no need to eavesdrop any further, gather together those of your friends you heard us talking about and take them on your patrol with you. Bring them to my office and we'll talk." He said, a fond expression gracing his face. There was never any use in lying to the man.
"It's getting dark; I'd head back to the castle if I were you." He advised, nodding at the pair as a large man with a limp and heavy staff approached with Hagrid. The Gamekeeper gave them a wink as Dumbledore chivvied them into the room. The door was closed firmly behind them, cutting off Lily and James' source of information.
"Stop grinning." She said, turning her attention back to him with a smile, unable to stop herself despite the seriousness of what they had heard. "Are you ever going to kiss me like that because you want to, or only ever to get us out of trouble?" He asked.
"Well it's a long carriage ride home." She winked, standing and pulling on her winter cloak. "And I can't think of much else to occupy our time, can you?"
"Absolutely nothing." He said, grabbing the bags they had bought and helping load them into her bag, keen to leave suddenly.
…
Lily paused as James jumped into a waiting carriage, laying her hand on the thestral's nose before offering it an apple. "Thank you." She whispered to it. "Lils?" H smiled, fading as he saw her patting at thin air, an apple disappearing in front of her. He climbed down again, going over and wrapping his cloak around her. "Can you see it?" She whispered. He shook his head.
"No, it's never happened in front of me, even that day in Diagon, a lot was happening but I didn't see anything … You can see it." He said.
"I can." She whispered. "It shouldn't be so beautiful, but it is." She said, shushing the beast lovingly as it flicked its ears, stroking its forelock.
"Who?" he asked gently.
"That day in Diagon. You were it right. It wasn't safe for Muggleborns. Meg got hit when she pushed me from a killing curse. You know the rest." She said. He rested his head on her shoulder, reaching out blindly. She took his hand, guiding it to the Thestral's neck. "Feel him?" She asked.
"It's like smoke, like touching cold smoke" He answered, shaking his head. "Come on then, with any luck Dumbledore will lead us through it without you being able to see Thestrals." She smiled; they knew how unlikely it was.
They crawled back into the carriage for the journey back. Half way back an owl flew in and perched opposite them. "A letter?" James frowned. LiIy stood to get it before sitting as she had been before, at a right angle to James, legs thrown over his and her back to the side of the carriage. "It's from Dumbledore." She said, passing it over as she broke the seal.
'To James and Lily.
Meet in my office during supper.
A.P.W.B.D'
Once they had read it the edges smouldered and James flicked it away, watching as it burnt away without a flame. "Does it really have to have so much smoke and danger mystique about it all?" He asked, frustrated. "Yeah, they do." she sighed. "We can't be too careful." James nodded. "Well, I'm glad we already ate, I was looking forward to supper." He smiled, resting a hand on her leg as they fell into thinking. "Hey, long time till supper." She smiled. "We wanted to do this, still do." She reminded him softly. "We'll be there." She told the owl who hooted softly and took off.
Once they were back in the castle it was an uneasy wait for the common room to head to supper. Remus, Sirius and Peter didn't surface again, even when they waited a while in the silent room the other marauders didn't show. Lily and James wandered up to Dumbledore's office. "Chocolate frogs." James said, stepping onto the revolving staircase with Lily's hand in his. It conveyed them up to the oak door to the Headmaster's study. There was a gentle hum of voices from behind the door but words were indecipherable.
They shared a glance before James went to knock. Before his fist hit the wood the door sprung open, Sirius on the other side. "Nice to see the Potters have joined us at last." He bowed mockingly. Lily glared at him and unsurprisingly James just smirked wider. "I was under the impression something serious was happening." Lily said, glancing around the room haughtily.
Remus and Peter were sitting on a couch near the desk, a spare spot where Sirius must have been. Alice was sitting on a step beside her boyfriend, Frank whilst Marlene paced about them all. Flitwick and McGonagall stood behind the headmaster. "That we are Miss Evans." Dumbledore said, rising to beckon them all closer. "You have been nominated to join The Order of the Phoenix. It's time for you to have your say. The order has approved each of your profiles, seeing you as useful should you still want to join us. It will be dangerous; there is no way to avoid that danger. You will be bound to the utmost secrecy. No one can know of your missions, our aims, your role or even the existence of the order. If, after this meeting, you should choose not to continue with us, all memories pertaining to the order shall be removed from me and your attendance here shall be removed from the rest presence, that way you will be protected from, The Order's influence. I must be understood, there will be no way for you to re-join us if you opt out today. There will be no way for you to opt out after today yet the order may decide not to take you at the induction, your memories will be similarly altered at that point. How do you al vote?" Dumbledore asked tone grave.
They all shared meaningful looks, edging closer to their friends as the moment they chose their fates rose upon them, the threads weaving more tightly about him.