A/N: This one's for Lily, who the Lily in this story was and will remain based upon; the Lily in LittleRedLily. (This doesn't, however, mean we'll kill off Lily Evans, just to make that clear :P)
The good go young. Happy sleep, Lils.

18.01.95 - 03.02.11

- Chapter Twenty-five -

~ Missing ~

The next day at work was very boring for James; Moody had given him twice as much work, because Lily wasn't in. He planned on going to Hogwarts for lunch to see Lily, but Madam Pomfrey said she had discharged Lily an hour ago so she could go to work.

That's odd, James thought to himself, as he left the Hospital Wing. I definitely didn't see Lily at work. Something's not right …

James searched Gryffindor common room for Lily, and even asked some first-years to check the girls' dormitories. Nothing.

He spent the rest of his lunch in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, asking any of his fellow students if Lily had been there: still nothing. After deep consolation from Remus, James went back to work and got along with all of Moody's tasks, even though Lily stayed at the back of his mind, in the pit of his worries. What if the school vampire had gotten to her?

Eventually, James got to Hogwarts at the beginning of dinner, where he hoped to see Lily laughing along with her friends. He saw Vanessa, and he saw Alice and Cassie, but still he saw no Lily.

'Sirius,' James hissed to his best friend, 'she's still not here.'

'Oh, yeah, I think I saw her,' Sirius said, his mouth full of what? James didn't want to know.

'Where?' he said quickly. 'She's okay, isn't she?'

'I wouldn't say she was,' Sirius shrugged.

James's heartbeat quickened. 'What's happened to her?'

'She's been having some quality time with Downs,' Sirius said distastefully.

Relief, sweet relief, made its way through James instantly. 'Sirius,' he said weakly, 'you had me for a minute.'

'You don't think spending time with Downs is bad?' Sirius looked horrified.

'Well, she's safe,' James laughed, before piling some mashed potatoes on his plate.

His happiness was short-lived, however; as soon as the Marauders reached their common room, they were greeted by a certain cuddling couple – Sirius's least favourite couple in the world.

''Sup, Flower?' Sirius said loudly on purpose. He could see James was struggling to hide the disgust on his face.

'Hey, Sirius,' Lily smiled back, before turning back to Jason.

'Are we allowed non-Gryffindors in here?' Sirius called.

Lily stood up instantly and blushed. 'I didn't invite him here,' she said quickly. 'In fact, he was just leaving.'

'With the love of his life,' Jason added, making Lily giggle.

Sirius mimed vomiting; Peter giggled.

'Oh, get lost, Sirius,' Lily laughed, brushing past him on her way out of the common room.

'Hey, Lils,' James said suddenly. 'How come you didn't turn up at work?'

'Jason had,' Lily paused, grinning in an unLily-like way, 'other plans.'

The two then rushed out, Jason with an evil grin.

'Evans blew off work? To be with him?' Sirius questioned, confused. 'Evans?'

'Are you okay, James?' Remus asked quietly.

James's face displayed would-be suppressed anger. His eyes were now slits, and his lips were white. 'Yeah, I just … feel like punching something …'

Peter instantly stepped back.

'No worries, Wormy,' James laughed, putting his arm around the boy's shoulder.

'Who needs her, anyway?' Sirius said cheerfully, walking over to a table. 'There're plenty of chicks in this castle.'

'Yeah …' James said absently, following him.

'Have any of you done McGonagall's essay on Animagi?' Peter squeaked. 'I've attempted it, but I got a bit stuck …'

'Really, Wormy?' Sirius barked. 'You are an Animagus! We've spent the last five years or something studying Animagi – how can you not get it?'

Peter's face blushed as he shuffled his feet guiltily.

'Ah, we can help you out, Pete,' James said kindly.

They spent the rest of the night helping Peter out with his essay without giving him any sentences to put in – Sirius said Lily was rubbing off on James. He cracked several other jokes that night, but James's mind was focused on Lily. Torchlights had gone out and all but the Marauders had gone to their dormitories – but still no sign of Lily. It wasn't like her to break curfew, and she didn't have to patrol corridors tonight. Where was she?

Just then, a laugh chimed from the portrait hole, as Sirius's least favourite couple in the world stepped back in again.

Sirius immediately stood up and claimed he was sleepy; Peter and Remus were quick to leave with him.

'Coming, mate?' he said to James before he took off.

'Nah, need some air,' he replied. Without a second glance at the happy couple, he left.

James snuck out of the castle without being spotted, and took up stag form. He wondered about the Forbidden Forest, feeling quite alone despite the owls hooting, and what he thought were centaurs talking about constellations and revelations. He avoided the centaurs. He wasn't in the mood to chat.

Half of him hoped Lily would notice he was missing, just as he had noticed her absence. But he knew she was probably too cosy with Downs to care.

Too cosy … with Downs.

It felt like a long time before James headed back to Gryffindor tower, where he was fearful of what he might see.

But, to his delight, there was only Lily, curled up comfortably on the couch in front of the dim fireplace, making her face glow slightly. A blanket James assumed she had been using was now on the floor. He quietly paced over to her and wrapped the blanket around her still figure. If he couldn't hear her gentle breathing, he'd have thought she wasn't breathing at all.

He softly pecked her on the forehead before making his way to the boys' dormitories, thinking – or wishing – he heard Lily stir.

*.*.*

'Ain't he woken up yet?'

'No.'

'And you've tried the water?'

'Yes, Sirius, I've sprinkled some water on him. He still hasn't awoken.'

'Sprinkles? Well, they're no good.'

SPLASH!

James sat up abruptly, drenched in ice-cold water. The curtains on his four-poster bed were drawn back, letting bright light in.

'That did the trick,' Sirius said cheerfully.

'What was that for?' James said disbelievingly, shaking his head wildly, practically soaking everyone in the vicinity.

'You weren't waking up,' said Sirius innocently.

'So?'

'We've got news,' Remus said quickly, before Sirius could go on. 'There's been another attack.'

James's stomach dropped instantly. He was reluctant to ask the next question: 'Who?'

Sirius put on his most solemn face as he said, '… Evans.'

James felt his heart skip a beat, as his stomach plummeted further down. How could this be? She was just fine early this morning. There was no way she could've suddenly –

'Aha, I joke with you, mate,' Sirius said, flashing his teeth. 'Okay, I know I shouldn't have, but it was an irresistible opportunity. I mean – your face!'

The next thing he knew, he was being bombarded by pillows.

'That was not funny!' James said hotly. 'So – no one's been attacked?'

'There was an attack, actually,' Remus said seriously. 'You're not going to believe this.

'Peter's been attacked; in this very dormitory, as well.'

*.*.*

James didn't care that he was going to be late for work. Nor did he care that he was going to be missing quality Lily time. He had to find Dumbledore; he had to know that Peter was going to be all right. Such was his thirst for knowledge that he even ignored Lily on his way out of the common room. She had, no doubt, heard, but any consolation she had to offer would be of no help whatsoever.

James went straight to Dumbledore's office, but he wasn't there. He went down to the Great Hall, which was only scattered with the very few people who had woken up late. Dumbledore wasn't there, either. Lessons had already begun, but maybe McGonagall could spare five minutes – five minutes for a friend in desperation.

'We have transferred him to St Mungo's, and he presently lays alongside Miss Watson,' said Professor McGonagall, not at all miffed that James had dragged her out of class. 'He is in the same condition as Miss Watson. We hope to get to the bottom of this.'

Her face displayed weariness. 'I do hope no more attacks happen. I wonder what'll come of this great castle …'

She sighed before telling James to get to work or she'll have to be less lenient. James relented, although the only place he wanted to be was with Peter. Nonetheless, he appeared at work, bright-eyed, within an hour. Moody grunted to his apology for being late, and set him to more file-sorting with Lily, who James noticed seemed somewhat afraid to strike up a conversation, although she smiled warmly when he entered the room.

'Sorry I left you alone with him,' James said in an undertone.

'It's okay,' Lily smiled quickly.

'Your face shows it,' James said, laughing slightly.

Lily said nothing more. Her silence was beginning to get to James. He began thinking wildly of ways to start a conversation. Just as a million things came to him, Lily spoke.

'I tried talking to you this morning,' she said mildly.

'Sorry about that,' he grinned, looking somewhat ashamed. 'I was in such a rush to find Dumbledore.'

'I was going to tell you he wasn't in,' she said softly, keeping her eyes on the file she had in her hands, as if concentrating on it. 'I'd already been to see him – no luck. Rumour has it he's been trying to find out more about Voldemort's whereabouts.'

'Ah. Right … well, thanks for the thought. And I really am sorry about before.'

'No, no, it's fine …'

Her tone suggested otherwise. Why couldn't girls be more outright about their feelings?

'What's on your mind, then?'

'The vampire,' Lily said, looking directly into James's eyes.

For a moment, he was entranced. Had her eyes always been that green?

He shook his head, as if waking up, and said, 'What about it?'

'Well … it has to be someone in Gryffindor, doesn't it? No one else can get in the tower, unless they know the password – and only Gryffindors know the password. But I honestly can't think of one of us who would attack another. And it doesn't make sense: why go for Sarah and Peter? They've got to be the meekest students in our house.'

Before James could even think of an answer, Moody barked his name.

'Potter! Professor Dumbledore here to see you.'

Sure, now he gets to meet the Head. James couldn't explain to himself why it was difficult to hide his irritation.

Moody left the room then, and Lily made to follow.

'Wait there, Miss Evans,' said Dumbledore. 'I need to speak to you as well.'

Lily closed the door, and, as Dumbledore took Moody's seat and Lily and James took theirs, she felt as though she was back in the Headmaster's office.

'Mr Potter, I must ask you a few questions.'

Lily heard James swallow before nodding.

'First of all, were you awake at the time of the accident?'

'No, sir,' said James seriously.

'Where had you been?'

What was that supposed to mean?

'I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand your question.'

'According to your friends' statements, you weren't with them when they went to their beds so late at night. Where were you?'

'I was in the common room,' James lied.

'So you may have seen the attacker enter Gryffindor common room and head to the dormitories?' said Dumbledore shrewdly.

'Uh … I had fallen asleep,' James said quickly. 'I fell asleep in front of the fireplace.'

'But I heard Miss Evans was found asleep in front of the fireplace this morning.'

Think fast, James, he said to himself.

'Yeah, Lily was on the couch; I was on the floor.'

'What were the two of you doing there, may I ask? It seems somewhat unusual of you to be there.'

'Lily was, er, stuck on some Arithmancy homework we were set a while ago,' said James quickly. 'I was trying to help her get it done, but I fell asleep during the process.'

'James, you silly, forgetful boy,' Lily said with a warm smile, 'you must be talking about our Transfiguration essay on Animagi – I didn't take Arithmancy, remember?'

'Oh, yeah! That's the one. My bad.'

'I see,' said Dumbledore sceptically. He peered at James and then at Lily from above his half-moon spectacles. James hated those stares – it made him feel as though Dumbledore could literally see straight through him with those piercing, blue eyes. 'And neither of you know of a student in another house who knows the password to enter Gryffindor tower or has entered within the past twenty-four hours?'

Here they paused. James was tempted to turn and look at Lily to see what she wanted him to say, but he knew that would give it away.

Instead, he felt her touch under the table; she had found his hand, and was playing with his fingers, as if she was nervous.

'No, sir. I can't recall anyone not in Gryffindor entering the tower.'

Silence fell upon them for a few minutes. It was an awkward one; Dumbledore surveyed the two up and down.

'Erm … Professor?' said James quietly. 'Not meaning to be rude, but we, er, kind of have work to get back to …'

'Ah, yes, of course you do,' Dumbledore said, suddenly brightening up. 'I shall have to leave you to it. Enjoy your day.'

'Yes, sir,' said James, nodding his head.

Lily and James watched Dumbledore leave the room, and made sure the sound of his footsteps faded away before breathing out in relief.

'James, thank you so much,' Lily said fervently, before embracing him.

It was a while before James remembered he was supposed to put his arms around her, too – he was just so taken by surprise. Did she always smell this nice? He didn't realise how much he missed her sweet, floral scent.

Okay, so this counted as torturing him, Lily thought to herself. But she couldn't help it. She preferred Jason over James … but she still had a soft spot for the latter. She didn't see it as being in love with two boys at once: Jason she saw as a boyfriend, James as a brother.

Right?

*.*.*

The rest of the working day passed in laughter and parchment cuts, all of which James was skilled enough to heal.

So, all in all, it was a fairly okay day. Peter had gotten bitten, but he would be all right. The Gryffindors, first- and second-years especially, were scared out of their wits, but they would recover. So, it was a good day – until Sirius had to go and ruin it. As soon as Lily and James had re-entered Gryffindor common room, Sirius sought an argument.

'Evans!' he called angrily.

'… Yes?' Lily replied, walking over to him a little confused.

'What d'you think you're playing at?'

"Care to tell me?" was Lily's initial response, but she bit it back, sensing that now wasn't the time to be witty. Instead, she pulled a confused face.

'Inviting Downs into the common room!' he blasted, shooting his arms in the air.

'He invited himself, if you must know!' Lily said, finding it difficult to keep her tone down. 'He jumped out behind me as I was coming in. What was I supposed to say?'

'Something along the lines of "Get lost", like you would with anyone other non-Gryffindor,' said Sirius bitterly.

'That's not something I'd say. You've just always had it in for Jason. I'll never understand why. It's not like he hurt anyone here; it's not like he killed anyone!'

'He's the vampire!'

'Sirius,' said Remus in a low voice, 'we don't know that. It's just a suspicion, remember. We've got no proof, whatsoever.'

His words of wisdom were ignored altogether.

'He's not the vampire,' said Lily hotly. 'Just because there was an attack the same night he entered Gryffindor tower, that does not mean that he's the vampire!'

'How much of your blood has he sucked exactly?' Sirius inquired lightly. 'Have you completely lost it? He is the vampire, and he's killing off my mates.'

'If – if – Jason was the vampire, and I'm not saying he is –'

'– he probably wouldn't tell you if he was –'

'– why would he go for little Sarah and Peter, anyway?' Lily retorted angrily, ignoring his interruption. 'He holds no grudge against either of them.'

'He probably knows that those two are close to us! He's trying to get us all down one by one.'

'That is without a doubt the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! We all know that Jason isn't the vampire. You don't believe this as well, do you, James? James?'

So it was time to choose – best friends or unrequited love … well, completely failed romance.

'I'm sorry, Lily,' he said. 'I don't know what to believe any more.'

He turned her back to her, not wanting to witness her pained expression, the look of being betrayed in her eyes; picturing it was bad enough. Ignoring the other pairs of eyes on him, James headed straight for the boys' dormitories, although he didn't feel any better then; Peter's absence felt quite haunting.

And then there were the constant thoughts of Lily … Lily.

Thursday 19th January 1978