AN:/Thanks to all of my constant reviewers, you all make my day!:D Enjoyyyyy x

James jolted awake.
His back was aching from sleeping on the lumpy sofa, and there was still a dull sort of throbbing in his leg from the bite. He rolled his trouser leg up and stared at the faint scarring, faded but still clear to see. In the dead of night James had let himself wonder about that bite. Had the lycanthropy been passed on? Full moon was in exactly 4 days; he'd never paid so much attention to the lunar calendar before now. If James were to transform along with Remus…he would feel worse for his friend than himself. Surely the guilt would destroy him, even if James insisted that he really was okay.

So, for Remus's sake, James prayed to Merlin that the only animal he would be transforming into any time soon was his own stag.

Only the dying embers of the fire lit the common room. It cast dancing shadows along the slumbering portraits. Sirius was lying on the ground, with his mouth wide open. He was snoring loudly as usual. To James's amusement, Peter had his head against Sirius's chest, his hand clutching the fabric of his friend's shirt. James smirked; he wished he had a camera to capture the touching moment.

He looked away, to the window. It was still very dark outside, but James couldn't hope to get back to sleep. Too much information was swimming around in his head: Lily and Amos, Remus, Full moon, and strangely, his parents. He had a weird nervous feeling in his stomach. Mr and Mrs Potter had been unable to see their son off at the train, because they were on an Auror mission.
A mission that had meant to finish two days ago yet there had been no contact whatsoever from them to either the ministry or himself. He'd pushed the feeling back until now, they sometimes did come back late from them, but what with all of the increasing rumours floating around about certain wizards accomplished in dark magic rising to power, he did begin to worry.

It was unlikely of course; they were out on an inventory mission, nothing too dangerous. Well, that was what they'd told him. Had his parents lied to spare him from worrying? James sighed. He was over thinking things again.
Needing to distract himself from the increasing sense of dread, James left the common room, deciding to head to the kitchens.

Lily rolled over in her sleep and banged her head on a pipe face down. She sat up, her head already spinning. "Bloody hell…" She grumbled.
She lifted a hand to her face; a steady flow of blood was running from her nose. Lily swore. She reached blindly for one of the cloths that she had slept on and held one up to her face. It smelt strongly of chemicals.
She lit her wand and stood up. The room began spinning; she must of hit her head harder that she'd thought. The entire left side of her forehead hurt hugely. Still clamping the cloth to her nose, Lily left the cupboard.

If she didn't get something cold to put on her head soon, Lily was sure that the bump would swell and she'd look ridiculous for class. She scanned her mind for a suitable spell, but none came to mind.
Brilliant, she thought, 6th year witch at a spell for magic and she didn't even know a bloody spell for ice.
Plan B…where in the school could she get ice? Not the hospital wing…she'd have to tell Madam Pompfrey how she'd gotten the bump, and didn't fancy explaining all of that yet again.
Kitchen! Lily could easily ask the house elves for a tea towel filled with ice…they wouldn't even mind or ask questions.
So she changed direction and headed to the kitchen, still with a cloth stuck to her face.

James sat comfortably at a round oak table in the warmth of the kitchen. His hands were curled around a cup of hot chocolate and he smiled, feeling a little less tense.
Already the elves were bustling around, preparing breakfast that needed to be served by at least six for any of the early bird's in Hogwarts. The comforting smell of homemade food relaxed him. The constant noise, bacon and sausages sizzling, juice being poured, even fridges being pulled opened and closed made him think of his mother.
An elf even smaller than usual ran up to him, tripping slightly on the way.
"Would Mr Potter like anything else to eat or drink?"
James considered this, it must have been around three now anyway, he may as well.
"Could I have some toast with peanut butter?"
The elf grinned and nodded her head rapidly. "Of course sir, Binky will have your food right away."
She skipped away, retuning less than a minute later with a plate of fresh toast, lathered in smooth peanut butter.
"Thank you Binky." James said kindly.

Around 10 minutes later, he was disturbed again. The particular table was hidden from view from the door, around near the ovens. A different elf walked up, playing nervously with the corners of his tea towel garment.
"Mr Potter, there is a lady here now also, may she come sit with you?"
James shrugged. "I guess. Wait, who is it?"
"Lily Evans, sir. And she is looking upset, sir."
He nodded. "Yeah, fine with me."

James breathed deeply. Lily rounded the corner with a clear bag filled with ice clutched to her forehead. For reason's completely unknown to himself, James stood up, his back straight.
Lily gave him a weird look before sitting down on the opposite side of the table. James awkwardly lowered himself back into his own seat.
"'Lo," Lily said, her voice was thick as if she'd been asleep not too long ago.
"Hey there," James said sheepishly. "Fancy meeting you here."
Lily shrugged. "I hurt my head and came for Ice."
"I can see that." James said. "Can I ask how?"
Lily smiled. "Just me being a stupid idiot as usual. I was, er, I was sleeping in a broom closet and fell onto a pipe."
James raised his eyebrow. "And why were you sleeping there?"
Lily blushed. "I'm not very welcome in the dorm right now…couldn't face it."
He nodded. "I get it."
Lily looked up. "Don't say that. You don't get it! You have the three best friends in the world."
James took his glasses off; they were steamed up from the fumes in the kitchen.
"It looks like that, but…well, it's Remus."
He saw Lily's back stiffen slightly, but continued.
"Ever since that night…the night were you, you saw the wolf…since I got-" He cut himself off, she wouldn't care.

"What is it?" Said Lily.
James slid his hands against the tabletop. "You saw…well, you saw other animals in there with him, right?"
Lily nodded. "Yeah, the stag saved me from the wolf."
He smiled.
"I saved you from the wolf." James could feel his hands shaking.
"What?" Lily said, her voice filled with confusion. "But you weren't there-"
"I was. Lily…I'm, I'm an animagus."

Silence.
A silence so thick filled the air that was so full of noise. James waited for her answer, yet she was just staring at him with that strange expression marring her features.
"Er, Lily?"
Slowly, an uncertain grin spread across her face. "That day in transfiguration!"
James raised his shoulders. "Um, when?"
"In transfiguration! You got that question right…about Animagus, I got it wrong."
James nodded his head. "You remember that?"
Lily turned red. "Well, I remember a lot of things…" She trailed off.
"So you don't mind?"
Lily ran a hand through her hair. "Not really, I mean, it's brilliant magic…really. And I understand…" She lowered her voice. "You did it for Remus."
James nodded, feeling self-conscious.
"Under all that arrogant show…James Potter, you really aren't that bad."

James felt his face split, a wide smile breaking out.
"Why thank you, Lilyflower…I suppose you aren't such a prudy cow either." Lily reached out and hit his hand playfully and there it was again…that crazy electric shock.
She jumped back. "What the hell?" Lily muttered. "That keeps happening to us."
James managed a smile, barely. His mind was reeling…was it possible? Could Lily Evans and James Potter actually be friends? If it weren't for Amos he could almost imagine…
No.
James stopped himself. Lily had said it herself; she liked Amos enough to leave her friends for him.
"You know," Lily said. "Amos really doesn't want me to talk to you…or the other marauders."
"But why?" James shook his head.
"I don't know," Lily said, though her eyes were cast down onto her lap. "He hates all of you."
"The feeling is mutual, trust me." James said darkly. Lily grimaced.
"I know you do."

They talked and talked, and talked and talked and talked.
Soon the elves were telling them that breakfast had begun and that they had to leave.
Lily and James parted in the common room.
"Thanks Lily," James said. "For understanding. You really helped me…take my mind off some things."
Lily nodded, smiling widely.
They were standing close enough that James could hear her light breathing. Suddenly Lily reached up and hugged him, placing her head on his shoulder.
Getting over the shock, James encased her in his arms. It was nice, lovely.

"Excuse me?"
Lily jumped back like he'd been burned. A very pissed off looking Amos Diggory was standing at the bottom of the boy's stairs. He paced forward and roughly grabbed Lily's shoulder. She yelped slightly as he dragged her from the common room.