Author's Note: Ah... this chapter... I have a few things that I wanted to accomplish... I think I did it...
Villevallo'sluva: I luff you! I totally forgot about the nightmares... whoops. ((What chapter were the nightmares in?))I plan on having the story end with their deaths, so of course they have to get married... as for Quidditch... why didn't I think of that? Those are great ideas! I think you just helped me write like 2 chapters... well... when I actually get to them. Thank you!
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Chapter Twenty Six: Nightmares
"You're a... werewolf?" Heather could barely form the words, let alone speak them. She wasn't even sure if Remus heard her. In a way, she was hoping the wind had ripped her words away. She felt horrible... here she was thinking how she had thought he was breaking up with her. Cheating on her? How stupid could she have been? Remus might be a Marauder... but he's not like Sirius, or how James used to be. Remus is different... and now she knew why... all the times he was sick... the closeness of him and his friends...
Remus nodded. In a way, this was going better than he expected. He expected her to run screaming in terror, calling him a monster. "I am."
"Remus...I don't know what to say..." She paused and looked at the sky. It was a relatively grey day... the sun poked through the clouds, then disappeared once again. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I was scared... heck, it took James, Sirius and Peter a year and a half to figure it out." He tried to laugh it off, but his laughter soon faded. "Heather... I'm sorry... I didn't want to lose you... I fancy you... a lot."
What do I say? He's a werewolf! But I really like him too...
Tell him the truth...
"Remus... I really don't know what to say... I like you too... a lot... but... this is... a lot to swallow at once..." She hated to say this, but she really had to. It was the truth. He deserved it. "I really need to think about this."
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Lily? Thinks she's in love with me?
James could barely contain his excitement. He always thought he'd be the one to say it first. Of course he knew he loved her. He knew it a long time ago. Lily was staring at the floor. He lifted her face to his, pressing his lips against hers. It was a warm, sultry kiss, so sweet. He broke away from her, and looked into her eyes. "Lily, I love you. I don't think I do. I know I do."
He wiped the stray tears from her eyes, smiling tenderly. She blinked a few times, as if trying to comprehend what he had said. His eyes shone her reflection. Had that been there before? Yes. She answered herself. It was always there, he's always only seen her. She was safe with. She always had been. He never let anything hurt her. In all their years, she was never hurt, and it was always because of James. "I love you too. I really do."
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That night, dinner was an interesting ordeal. Lily and James were so happy it was sickening. Remus and Heather were so gloomy it was depressing. Heather had promised not to say anything about his condition, but she did intend on talking to Lily.
"Moony, you look like someone put your puppy in a blender... What's going on?" Sirius asked, glad that his comment issued laughter from a few of their friends.
"Nothing. I'd rather not talk about it." He answered, then stood and left.
Sirius' eyes followed his friend out of the Great Hall, then turned to everybody else. "What's with him?"
"I think I know what..." Lily said staring at Heather.
"Why are you looking at me?" She asked, as if offended by her friend's meaningful stare.
"I think you know. We need to talk, Heather." Lily stood, gave James a kiss on the cheek, then dragged her friend out of the Hall, without waiting for her to finish her dinner.
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"Heather, what the hell is going on? I know Remus talked to you. You didn't break up with him, did you?" Lily didn't waste any time in bringing her friend to her dorm. It was more private there. The only other person who could get in was James, and he already knew Remus' condition.
"No, I didn't. I told him I needed to think about all this. It's a lot to take in." Heather said calmly, though on the inside she was seething.
"What the hell is there to think about, Heather? He's a werewolf! Either you accept it, or you don't! He cares about you a lot! He took a HUGE risk in telling you! Weren't you the one that told me I should take a risk on James?" Lily was throwing her own words back at her. "He may not have said it aloud, but his actions, his eyes, everything about the way he is says it. He's in love with you."
Lily couldn't help but repeat word for word what Heather had said about James. It was true for them too. "And you're in love with him." She paused. Heather was tearing. "Madison told me how distracted you were in Transfiguration. And then Audry told me how Remus had said he needed to talk to you after. Give him a chance. He's still the same. You liked him before you knew he was a werewolf. Why should that information change how you feel?"
"It... shouldn't... should it?" Heather replied, feeling guilty.
Lily sat down beside her, putting an arm over her shoulder. "No, it shouldn't. Heather... Remus deserves a chance. Go talk to him."
Heather nodded, and stood. Just as she reached the door, it opened, and revealed James, with Remus in tow. "Well look at that. How convenient. Here she is." James left Remus and the entrance, and walked over to Lily. "Let's give them some time alone." He whispered, taking her hand and leading her back through the door.
Remus watched James and Lily go, and was hit with a sinking feeling as the door closed behind them. He turned to Heather, who had tears coursing down her cheeks. He opened his mouth to comfort her, from what, he didn't know, but instead of getting words out, Heather threw herself into him. "I'm so sorry Remus!"
He enclosed his arms around her, rubbing her back. "What are you sorry for? I'm the one that's sorry... I should have trusted you, I should have told you earlier..."
Heather shook her head. "No, Lily's right. I cared about you before I knew, so why should knowing change my feelings? You're still the same Remus Lupin."
"Yes. I'm still the same." He said in a whisper. Why he was whispering, he didn't know. But in the back of his mind, he was praising Lily.
She pulled away from him, and gave him a kiss. "Forgive me?"
"How could I not?" He asked with a chuckle.
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Lily and James had gone back to Gryffindor Tower, glad to be in the company of their friends. James was playing Sirius in chess, while Lily learned how to play from the side lines. Audry and Madison were talking in a corner, Peter was huffing at one of the tables, trying to finish an essay that would be due the next day.
"So where is Dear Moony and the Mrs?" Sirius asked as he directed his bishop.
"Talking in our room." James said, then grinned. "Knight to G4." He watched in triumph as his knight pummeled the bishop Sirius had just moved.
"Talking about what?" Sirius asked. When James didn't answer, he looked up, and caught the purposeful look in his friend's eyes. "Oh. That. Castle to B2."
Just then, the portrait opened, and Heather climbed through, Remus following closely behind, holding her hand. They never looked happier. Lily smiled at them, and Remus mouthed a 'thank you' as they took up a seat next to them on the couch.
As the night progressed, James had defeated Sirius in chess, then Lily played, and coached by both Sirius, Audry, and Madison, she beat James. Peter had finished his essay and departed to the kitchens for what he called 'a well deserved snack'. Heather and Remus had turned in early, but not before a kiss goodnight.
"So, how about the Quidditch game this Saturday? First one of the year. Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. Think we're gonna win?" Sirius asked as they settled down in the chairs, couch, and Lily and James took residence on the floor in front of the fire.
James looked at Audry, who is one the teams chasers, and smiled. "Hell yes. Audry is an amazing chaser. I think we would win even if we didn't have the other two."
Audry grinned. "Well, we better win. We've been practicing like maniacs."
"And of course, yours truly will be doing the commentary." Sirius said in a gloating manner.
As talk of the game continued, plays were discussed, positions, and moves were gone over. Lily confessed that she needed a good nights sleep. James told her he'd head to the dorm later on, so he gave Lily a kiss and she went on her way.
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After Lily had brushed her teeth and gotten her pajamas on, she crawled into her bed. Upon moving in, she had bewitched the canopy of the bed to look like the night sky. Of course, it wasn't a very good charm, so it only worked when the lights in her room were off and it was after sunset.
She stared at the stars for a long time, and didn't even notice it when she drifted off to sleep. The dream was very peculiar indeed. She woke up, in a quaint little house, to find a note on her the pillow next to her.
Had to run off to work. Little emergency. Be back soon. I love you.
She smiled at the note wondering who left it, and crawled out of her bed. She approached the dresser, and looked in the mirror. She gasped, and touched her reflection with her left hand. It was her, but she was older... she was probably in her early twenties. The sun poked through the windows on the other side of the room, and something on her hand glinted. She looked at it closer. It was a ring. An engagement ring, and then a wedding band. Apparently dream Lily was married. But to whom?
A crying sound made her jump, and she left her room, still in her pajamas looking for the source of the wails. A room next to hers held a crib, and in the crib was a baby boy. He had messy black hair that was oddly familiar, and beautiful green eyes. He stopped crying when Lily picked him up, and began gurgling with happiness. "There, there, Harry." She said, not knowing why she said that name, but the moment she did, she knew it was the child's name, and that the child was hers.
In the dream, time skipped forward, and it was now evening. She sat in the living room of the house, baby Harry on her lap. She was singing a lullaby when the front door opened, and in walked a man. He had extremely messy black hair, just like the child. He turned to face Lily, and to Lily's astonishment, she wasn't surprised to see an older James smiling at her. "How's my Lily flower and my big boy today, eh?" He crossed the room as Lily stood, and took the child, giving him a kiss on the cheek before kissing Lily with a little more passion than was suitable in the presence of an infant.
"We're fine." Lily replied, a smile tugging at her lips. "How was work? Little emergency turn into a big one?"
"Yeah, something like that." He said grinning at her as baby Harry began to fall asleep. "I'll go put him to bed." James said as he departed up the stairs and down the hall.
When he returned to her, he was childless, but still smiling. He wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her forehead and then her nose, and then he kissed her lips. "You have no idea how much I missed you today, Lily. I love you so much."
Lily felt the blush creeping up her cheeks, and couldn't help but wonder if he was always like this. "I love you too, James." She said, nuzzling her face in his chest. She opened her mouth to say more, but was interrupted by a whirring sound. James looked at her, then at the mantle on which a sneak-o-scope was resting. It was whirring madly, and James turned and peered out the window. "Lily, he's here."
His voice was anything but calm as his hand plunged into his pocket, pulling his wand out. "Go, get Harry, and run. Find Dumbledore." Lily turned to run up the stairs and get the child, but had difficulty pulling herself from James. "Lily?" She turned back to him, tears in her eyes. She didn't know why, but she was suddenly terrified. "I love you, and Harry." James kissed her again before pushing her up the stairs. "Go. I'll hold him off."
Lily nodded, "I love you James." She said before running up the stairs. As she entered the child's room, and slammed the door, she heard the front door downstairs burst open and sickening thud. She felt like her heart was breaking. She knew James wasn't in this life anymore. She grabbed the baby, and held him close to her. She turned on the spot to apparate away, but found she couldn't. She felt like there was an invisible net keeping her in place. The door to the room swing open, and a cold voice came. "Move aside. I want the boy."
"No. Not Harry! Please, not Harry! Take me instead!" She found herself pleading for the child's life.
"Move aside, mudblood." The voice said again.
"No. Never!" Lily cried.
"Fine then. I will force you to." The hooded figure raised it's wand, and pointed at her. She turned her back to him to protect Harry. "Avada Kedavra!" A green light filled the room and she screamed.
Lily woke in her bed, screaming. She didn't remember the dream, but the green light felt familiar. She was terrified of that light. Why was it familiar? Was there something she didn't remember?
James burst into her room. "Lily! Are you alright?" He asked sitting on her bed and holding her close.
"I had the worst dream... all this green light..." She sobbed into his chest.
"It's alright..." James cooed into her hair, as he rubbed her back. "It was just a dream..."