Chapter XXVI - London Calling

Author's note: I do not own Act I, Scene I of Macbeth nor the beginning of Act IV, Scene I and Act I, Scene II those belong to the incredible William Shakespeare.

By the time that James and Lily arrived back at the house it was almost midnight. Lily locked the car and led James silently through the front door.

"I don't want to sleep yet," he murmured, tugging her close for a kiss.

Lily wrapped her arms around his neck grinning as she kissed him. "Me neither. Let's just change into something a bit more relaxing and meet me back here in the common room?"

"Sounds great." He kissed her again and then followed her upstairs.

Lily stepped into her room with a huge grin on her face. She quickly undressed and changed into her blue pajama bottoms with purple hearts on them and a black spaghetti tank. She tugged her hair out of its bun and watched as it tumbled down her shoulders. She removed her jewellery and headed down the stairs. James was already sitting on the chesterfield. She sat next to him and smiled when she noticed that he had a book in his hand.

"A book?"

He grinned and wrapped his arm around her so that she snuggled up next to his chest. "Well, I thought, we never did get around to starting Shakespeare and I still had the book. Why not now?"

"I love you."

His smile widened and he captured her lips for a soft kiss. "Because I want to read Shakespeare?"

"No, because you care enough to read Shakespeare."

"Isn't that what I said?"

She smiled now, taking the book from his hands. "No. You're just … wonderful." She opened the book and began to read aloud:

"Act I, Scene I: A desert place.

Thunder and lightning. Enter three witches.

First Witch:

When shall we three meet again

In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

Second Witch:

When the hurlyburly's done,

When the battle's lost and won.

Third Witch:

That will be ere the set of sun.

First Witch:

Where the place?

Second Witch:

Upon the heath.

Third Witch:

There to meet with Macbeth.

First Witch:

I come, Graymalkin!

Second Witch:

Paddock calls.

Third Witch:

Anon.

All:

Fair is foul, and foul is fair:

Hover through the fog and filthy air.

Exeunt."

"So there are witches in this play? They don't sound like witches?" James said as he watched her turn the page.

Lily grinned at that. "Muggles view witches a bit differently than we actually are. My favourite section from this play is later on with the witches. Let me find it." She skimmed through the pages of the play before stopping at the beginning of act four. "Here it is. It's with the three witches again. But you can tell how much they only think they know about magic and what it means. Listen:

Scene I: A dark cave. In the middle, a cauldron is boiling.

Thunder.

Enter the three witches.

First Witch:

Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.

Second Witch:

Thrice and once the hedge-pig whin'd.

Third Witch:

Harper cries: 'tis time, 'tis time.

First Witch:

Round about the cauldron go;

In the poison'd entrails throw.

Toad that under cold stone

Days and nights has thirty-one

Swelt'red venom sleeping got

Boil thou first i' th' charmed pot.

All:

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Second Witch:

Fillet of a fenny snake,

In the cauldron boil and bake;

Eye of newt, and toe of frog,

Wool of bat, and tongue of dog.

Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,

Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing -

For a charm of powe'rful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

All:

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Third Witch:

Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,

Witch's mummy, maw and gulf

Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark,

Root of hemlock digg'd i' th' dark,

Liver of blaspheming Jew,

Gall of goat, and slips of yew

Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse,

Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips,

Finger of birth-strangled babe

Ditch-deliver'd by a drab -

Make the gruel thick and slab;

Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,

For th' ingredience of our cauldron.

All:

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Second Witch:

Cool it with a baboon's blood,

Then the charm is firm and good."

James laughed when she finished. "That's the most ridiculous potion I've ever heard of. It wouldn't make anything and it sounds … well, evil actually."

"Unfortunately that's how magic is often portrayed. It's one of the main reasons why it's hidden, right? Because magic is something that they don't understand."

He nodded, taking the book from her. "It makes sense. So, this play, it's about witches then? I wasn't entirely clear on it except that you told me it was good."

She shook her head, smiling now. "No, not really about witches, but it is a good story. Macbeth is a Scottish general who has just helped defeat the Norwegian invaders. It is just after the battle when Macbeth and his friend Banquo come across these three witches who make a prophecy."

"So they're seers then?"

"No. That's too complicated. Basically, if you're a witch, you have powers to do pretty much anything."

"Ridiculous," he said making her laugh.

"Kind of, yes. Anyway, so the witches tell Macbeth that their prophecy said that he would gain another noble title and become King of Scotland and that it would be Banquo's heirs who would rule for a long time. However, Macbeth doesn't wait. When he is given the noble title he begins to think the witches were right so why should he wait for the prophecy to come true when he can just do it himself. So he and his wife, Lady Macbeth, plot and kill King Duncan so that Macbeth can assume the throne. But to keep power, he has to kill many of his old friends including his old friend Banquo. Macbeth begins to go a little crazy from this and starts seeing Banquo's ghost while some of the other nobles are plotting ways to remove Macbeth from the throne now because he clearly doesn't know what he is doing anymore. He continues to misinterpret the prophecies that the witches give him and soon his wife goes completely insane and dies and it all leads to his downfall. It's a terrible tragedy." She explained, flipping to scene two.

James nodded in understanding. "So, there's not so much of a happy ending then."

Lily shook her head. "Shakespeare is full of beautiful words and wonderful stories, but they are tragedies. His characters tend to be caught up in events that they can't control so much so that they often end up making choices that they never would have made on their own if they hadn't been in these situations. For example, Macbeth probably never would have become such a murderer if he had not decided to take the prophecy he had heard into his own hands. If he had just waited to see how it would play out, it might have turned out differently."

"Hmm, well it sounds interesting." He took the play from Lily and held it up. He gave her a smile before he began to read.

"Act I, Scene II: A camp near Forres.

Alarum within.

ENTER King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox with Attendants meeting a bleeding Sergeant.

Duncan:

What bloody man is that

report?

As seemth by his plight, of the revolt

The newest state.

Malcolm:

This is the sergeant

Who like a good and hardy soldier fought

'Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend!

Say to the King the knowledge of the broil

As thou didst leave it

Sergeant:

Doubtful it stood,

As two spent swimmers that do cling together

And choke their art. The merciless

Macdonwald -

Worthy to be a rebel, for to that

The multiplying villainies of nature

Do swarm upon him - from the Western Isles

Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied;

And Fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling,

Show'd like a rebel's whore. But all's too weak;

For brave Macbeth - well he deserves that

name -

Disdaining Fortune, with his brandish'd steel

Which smok'd with bloody execution.

Like valour's minion, carv'd out his passage

Till he fac'd the slave;

Which he ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to

him.

Till he unseam'd him from the nave to th' chaps,

And fix'd his head upon our battlements.

Duncan:

O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!

Sergeant:

As whence the sun gins his reflection

Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders

break,

So from that spring whence comfort seem'd to

come

Discomfort swells. Mark, King of Scotland,

mark:

No sooner justice had, with valour arm'd

Compell'd these skipping kerns to trust their

heels

But the Norweyan lord, surveying vantage,

With furbish'd arms and new supplies of men,

Began a fresh assault ..."

Lily wasn't sure when it was exactly, but the last thing that she remembered was listening to the hum of James' voice. She was awakened by the sound of voices.

"Cecilia … I just think that they … she's in her pajamas, they shouldn't be sleeping together!" Deacon insisted in the distance as Lily smiled against James' chest.

She opened one eye and saw that he was grinning at her.

"Deke, they are on the chesterfield, in the common room, fully dressed."

"But … that's not … I mean … it doesn't … aren't you concerned?"

Lily could hear the exasperation in her mother's voice as she spoke. "Deke, she's an adult. Leave them alone."

Lily smiled at James then. Someone had covered them with the afghan and she had been sleeping soundly stretched out with her legs tangled with his, her head on his chest and her hand over his heart. His arms were wrapped around her. Macbeth was on the floor next to them.

"Did you dream of Scottish wars and scary witches or was that just me?" He asked.

She laughed and kissed him softly. "Did we make it to act two?"

"I don't think so," he said, grinning. "I don't even remember when I fell asleep. Did you wrap us up?"

She shook her head, sitting up now and scratching her arm. "No." She stood up and stretched. "We should probably make an appearance in the kitchen though before my parents argue themselves to death."

James winced slightly. "Your father hates me again, doesn't he?"

Lily smiled and took his hand in hers. "I don't think so." She led him into the kitchen and smiled warmly at her parents. "Morning Mum, Dad. Did one of you guys cover us up? The last thing that I remember was listening to James read Macbeth to me. I must have conked right out."

Deacon grimaced slightly in what Lily assumed was an attempt at a smile. "No, Lily, I didn't. Did you sleep well?"

James shook his head now. "A little stiff to be honest. Sorry about that, Mr. Evans. Lily and I were reading and I guess time just slipped away from us."

Deacon sighed now, taking a sip of his tea. "It's Deke, James, I'm not angry. I'm just … surprised is all."

Cecilia snorted at this and handed a cup of tea to both James and Lily. "He's horrified, but he'll get over it."

Lily smiled at that and took a seat at the table, hands moving around the cup of tea that her mother had placed in front of her. "Good." She sipped her tea and smiled at James when he took a seat next to her.

"How was the movie?" Cecilia asked, sitting across from them with a bowl of porridge in front of her. "You were going to see Jaws, right?"

James grinned broadly. "Brilliant! It was my first one and the shark was right entertaining. A wee bit scary at times, but rightly enjoyable, right Lily?"

She nodded. "Definitely. It's going to make me think twice before I slide into the water for a quick swim though."

Deacon laughed at that. "Well, I'm glad that you two had a good time. What are your plans for today?"

Lily smiled at James. "Well, we're going to go play London tourist. Go see the Tower and a few other tourist attractions and later tonight we're going to go downtown to the dance club. James promised to take me out dancing."

"That sounds fun," Cecilia said, longing in her voice. "I couldn't tell you the last time that I was out dancing. You're going to have a great time."

"I think so," James said, taking Lily's hand in his and kissing her fingers softly making Cecilia smile warmly at them.

"Well, that's perfect," Deacon replied, grinning at them now. "I made plans for tomorrow night to have that Poker game, if you're still interested, James?"

He nodded, sipping his tea. "Definitely. I'll need to learn how to play first though."

Deacon nodded. "No problem. Tomorrow when I get home from work we'll work out how to play. I don't think that it will take you long to learn and no one is coming over until around eight."

"Who is coming over exactly, Dad?"

Deacon grinned at his daughter. "The usual crowd. Vernon is coming naturally, as I know that he does like Poker and that man actually took me for £200 last time! But, it will be Vernon, James, Mac, Dave, Bernie, Phil and I."

"Sounds entertaining," she said, grinning at her mother. She was curious as to how James was going to get along with her father's friends.

"Hmm," Cecilia responded as she finished up the last of her porridge. "We'll go out somewhere, Lily. Maybe we can go shopping and out to dinner. Lord knows that I don't want to be hanging around here while they're playing poker."

"Sounds great, Mum. We can look for wedding dresses again. Petunia has a few more ideas of what she's interested in now."

"What do I have ideas about?" Petunia asked, stretching as she stepped into the kitchen.

"Wedding dresses," Lily said. "Dad's having a Poker game tomorrow night so Mum suggested the three of us go shopping and out to dinner. Maybe we can look for wedding dresses again."

Petunia nodded, stiffling back a yawn. "Sure."

Lily stood up then. "I'm going to shower. James, want to be ready to go in two hours?"

"Aye."

She said goodbye to her parents, wishing them fun at work and made her way upstairs. She stood under the spray in the shower for a moment just basking in the warmth. When she began to wash she grinned when she found two little bruises on her left hip in the shape of James' fingers. They were a little tender, but when she touched them she remembered how he had held on in the back seat before he had slid into her and she grinned at the memory.

Today they wouldn't have the car. Taking a bus into London would be the easiest with the places they were going. She was kind of excited herself to play tourist. You never truly got to do so in your own area. She remembered going on the odd field trip back when she was younger, but this seemed like much more fun.

She finished up in the shower and wrapped herself in a huge towel before making her way to her bedroom. She was surprised to see her sister sitting on her bed. She closed the door behind her and smiled.

"Wotcher Tuney?"

Petunia shrugged as Lily placed a leg up on her desk chair and began to apply lotion. "Just wondered how you slept last night?"

Lily grinned. "Well. Was it you who wrapped James and I up?"

She nodded, tucking her long blonde hair behind her ears. "Yes. I came down around two for a cup of warm milk and saw the two of you. James still had the book you had been reading open, it had fallen on his face and you were just wrapped around him and his arms were around you. It was kind of sweet."

"Thank you. It was nice of you to wrap us up. Being in James' arm is wonderful. I love the way he holds me when he sleeps."

Petunia smiled back. "You just looked so peaceful. I might have felt a little twinge of jealously when I saw you."

"Why?" Lily asked as she finished rubbing lotion into her skin. "Don't you and Vernon ever cuddle like that?"

She shook her head. "He likes his own space when he sleeps. And well … we've never spent a full night together. Mum and Dad would flip if I didn't come home one night."

"I suppose so, yes. The last few days of school, I was sneaking into James' dorm and staying with him in his bed."

"You were? Weren't you afraid that his friends would hear you?" Petunia asked, shock in her voice.

Lily grinned as she stood in front of her closet, looking for clothes to wear for the day. "No. They knew I was there. But we can do magic remember so we put a silencing charm on the bed so that they wouldn't hear us."

"Oh."

She laughed at her sister's response. "Tuney, I am so in love with James that I still sometimes find it hard to believe myself. I spent a long time pushing him away because I thought he didn't really like me, that it was all a joke."

"I remember. You used to come home and just rant about how incredibly annoying James Potter was and how much you wanted him to just go away and never come back."

"He changed my mind."

"Did I?" He asked, his head peeking around her door. "I think I did a good job of it."

"James! I'm not dressed yet!"

He grinned wickedly. "It's one of my favourite outfits."

Petunia stood up, smirking slightly. "I'm going to go get some breakfast. I'll just … let you two … er …"

She hurried past James and he stepped into her bedroom. He was dressed in jeans and a plaid form-fitting tee that outlined his excellent body. "What are you doing in here?"

"I was done getting ready and your parents are gone and …" He tugged her up against him and opened her towel, wrapping it around him so that her warm body was pressed fully against him. "I missed you." He nibbled gently at her jaw and his hand slid slowly up her thigh. "Mmm, you smell fantastic."

"James …" she murmured. "I need to get ready."

His fingers danced higher, brushing her gently and her eyes darkened. He only grinned wider and slid a finger inside. Lily's head fell back and he kissed her neck, cupping one breast while he played her, stroking the heat until she was whimpering.

"Mmm, I love that sound." He slid a second finger inside of her and she gasped. "Say my name. I want to hear you say it."

"James," she whispered. "James."

"No, that's not what I want to hear."

The motions of his fingers quickened and her breath caught. "Jamie," she breathed and came over, erupting.

His fingers tapped along her thigh as he kissed her neck. "Mmm, that's really growing on me."

Lily sighed, her body leaning against his for support. "You have entirely too many clothes on."

James let the towel fall completely to the ground and reached his hands around to sit comfortably on her bum. "Do I? I hadn't noticed." He bent his head to suckle her breast and her head rolled back again.

"Jamie … we … we have things to do … this … no time …" She unzipped his pants and shoved them down as her fingers desperately fought with the buttons on his shirt.

"Good plan," he murmured, tugging her to the floor as he kicked off his pants. It was only when she was straddling him that he grinned up at her. "Very good plan."

"You're incorrigible."

"You love it."

She smiled at him, crossed her arms behind her head and slowly lowered herself down onto him. His eyes crossed slightly at the contact and she grinned, taking his hands in hers. "Show me what you've got."

When he began to move slowly, meeting her beat for beat, she murmured his name in pleasure and when he took over, pinning her beneath him, she cupped his cheek.

"I love you, James."

His lips met hers before he smiled. "I love you, Lily." Then he took them both over and they lost themselves in each other.

Lily wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she ran her hand gently along his back, kissing his shoulder and slowly pushed him off of her. "As much fun as that was, we're going to be late."

James grunted and his lips found her breast. "Mmm, you taste brilliant."

"James," she said, swatting him away. "We have plans today."

He grabbed her hand and slid it down his chest, stopping just at his bellybutton. "I have other plans."

Lily's eyes met his and she slid her hand down lower, covering him. He was almost fully erect again. "I can see that." She let her hand fall, standing up and walking over to her closet. "But I'm getting dressed now."

He groaned and rolled on his side. "Don't you love me?"

"I just did."

James laughed and stood up, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I can be sexier."

"You're sexy enough. Now put some clothes on already!" She insisted, trying not to blush. James was obviously extremely comfortable in his nakedness and she … she felt very exposed with him in her childhood bedroom standing naked.

He slid his hands up her stomach to cup her breasts, kissing her neck. "What's twenty more minutes really?" He turned her in his arms, kissing her softly. "Don't be such a tease."

Lily wrapped her hand around the length of him, rubbing softly. "A tease?" She let her hand drop.

He groaned and buried his face in her neck. "I need you."

Lily smiled at the roughness to his voice. She had always been told that guys needed time in between sexual episodes but James had proven time and time again that he not only had stamina, but an appetite. The fact that she wanted to give him what he wanted only further told her how much she loved him. She enjoyed pleasuring him.

She smiled up at him, smirking a little as she fondled him gently and then she slid down to her knees and he murmured her name. When she took him into her mouth, her name came out in a moan. She let her tongue trail along him, sucking and nibbling just enough to make him crazy. The crazy part was how much that it was turning her on.

"Lily," he gasped, "Lily, come … come here." He panted, tugging her back up to her feet before he shoved her back against her closet door. "I want to be inside of you."

She only nodded and when he lifted her hips and slid deeply into her, she simply held on and rode with him on the wave.

She had no idea when they had managed to tumble onto the bed, but she snuggled into him.

"You're a bad influence."

He laughed and kissed her forehead. "Guilty."

"I'm going to have to re-do my hair. You attacked me before I could dry it properly and now it probably looks like I've been electrocuted."

"It does."

She smacked him in the arm. "Prat!"

He grinned and kissed her softly. "You make me happy. Not just the sex, which don't get me wrong, makes me really, really happy but … everything. You're amazing and I love everything about you."

Lily smiled at him. "Dido. And I don't regret this morning's activities though I think Petunia may have gotten quite a show. I definitely forgot to do a silencing charm."

James grinned wickedly. "And you're not exactly quiet when you orgasm."

She smacked him again and climbed out of her bed. "Get out of here! I need to get dressed with no distractions! I'll meet you downstairs in thirty minutes."

"It will take longer than that to fix your hair," he muttered as he stood up.

Lily threw her hairbrush at him and he laughed as he found his clothes and began to get dressed.

"I must say, I do feel oddly satisfied and like I took terrible advantage of you right under the nose of your parents … gives me an odd sense of rebellious adventure?"

"If you don't leave right now, I'm never having sex with you again." She insisted, having wrapped herself up in the towel again to be covered.

James tugged her close and kissed her. "I'd convince you otherwise." He put his shirt back on and simply grinned at her as he opened her bedroom door. "Thirty minutes."

When the door closed behind him, Lily sat down on her bed and let out a long breath. James Potter really knew how to curl her toes and it most definitely was not unpleasant.

Thirty minutes later, Lily came down the stairs and found James flipping through the pages of Macbeth in the common room.

"You aren't reading without me, are you?" She asked, her voice teasing.

He grinned at her and put the book on the table in front of him. "No, just trying to find out where we left off last night. You look amazing, even the hair."

"Hmm, well thank you. Are you ready to go?"

James nodded and stood up. "I am. Are we taking the impala again?"

Lily shook her head. "No. Since we are being tourists today there really isn't a whole lot of parking so we're going to take the bus."

"The Knight Bus?"

"A muggle bus. Not as dangerous."

He grinned and slipped his arm around her waist. "Sounds great."

By the time they got to London, James was ready to play tourist. Despite it being almost noon when they arrived rather than the ten Lily had been aiming for, their day sailed smoothly. Since James had showed an interest, they started with a tour of the Tower of London.

It made her smile as the guide explained about the haunted rooms, where King Henry VIII's queens were held, which rooms were often used for torturing and that the last person executed at the tower was Josef Jakobs, who was accused of conspiring with the enemy during the Second World War and was executed on 15th August, 1941 by a firing squad.

He pointed and laughed and asked questions and they had a wonderful time, especially when Lily pulled her camera out of her purse and they spent time snapping photos of each other within the Tower.

Lily thought the British Museum would be a good second, but James had caught sight of the sign for the Jack the Ripper Haunted Tour and had immediately wanted to know who Jack the Ripper was. They had an hour before the tour started so they grabbed some sandwiches from a nearby deli.

"So, Anne Boleyn haunts the Tower and now this Jack the Ripper guy haunts some streets … I thought muggles didn't believe in ghosts?" He asked, licking mustard off his thumb.

Lily smiled. "Some do, some don't. But it makes the history more interesting if you believe that they never left, does it not?"

"I suppose. Though personally I think Nearly Headless Nick would much rather be dead. He said being a ghost is dead boring and that nothing ever changes and boy does he miss food."

She laughed and sipped her drink. "Well, Jack the Ripper is one of the most famous serial killers of all time."

"A killer? He was a mad-man?"

"Yes, he was. It happened back in 1888 right here in London."

"Are you talking about Jack the Ripper?" A man sitting on a bench nearby asked them. His eyes had lit up at the topic and he pushed his glasses up his nose eagerly. "I've been studying him my whole life. I'm writing a book on him."

Lily smiled at that. "Well, I'll leave you to enlighten my friend here, then. I'm Lily and this is my boyfriend James."

"Artie St. Cloud, Miss, nice to meet you both." He said, coming to sit next to James on the stone wall. "So, as your girl was saying there, it happened in 1888 on the 31st of August to be exact when they discovered poor Mary Ann Nicholls, a prostitute. She had her throat slit open so viciously it looked like her head had been caught off and she had even been disemboweled!"

James grimaced slightly. "Very gruesome."

"Indeed," Artie said, smiling as he said it. "But it gets worse! There were a few others in between, but it was later proved that old Jack didn't get them. His next victim was found in September of 1888 and her name was Annie Chapman, again a prostitute. Her throat was not only slit, but he had pulled out her intestines and laid them over her shoulder for all to see. And on top of it he took her uterus and part of her bladder with him!"

"Why?" James asked. "What on earth would he want it for?"

"Oh he was a right, psycho, good ol' Jackie was!" Artie exclaimed cheerfully. "The first media murderer, really. Everyone could read well by this time so everyone knew about old Jack. Anyway, they thought they had found him again, but he soon proved them wrong. The murders started to be called the Whitechapel Murders. On 30th September, 1888, Elizabeth Stride, another prostitute was found with her throat slit, but there were no mutilations to the body so its believed that he was interrupted by Louis Diemshutz who found the body. He didn't get a chance to finish his task. The next murder was Catherine Eddowes and boy did he rip that one apart! It was because he didn't get to finish with Stride, you know, he was angry. Anyway, they found her and she had been cut open like a pig! Her throat was cut right to the spine, her right ear lobe was cut through; there was a V cut into her cheeks and eyelids; the tip of her nose was cut off; her abdomen was cut right open and the intestines tugged out and put over her shoulder just like Chapman and this time he removed the uterus and the left kidney. It was a right horrible sight by the sounds of it."

"It really was," Lily said quietly, feeling slightly sick to her stomach. She had placed her sandwich down on the wall next to her deciding that lunch was no longer an option. "Didn't he write letters to the press too, telling them they wouldn't catch him?"

Artie nodded in excitement. "He did and by God they never did catch that son of a bitch! His last murder was that of Mary Kelly and it was the most gruesome by far! He cut her throat and removed the skin from her abdomen and her thighs; cut off her breasts; hacked her arms and body with several jagged wounds that made her almost unrecognizable and her uterus, kidney and one breast were found beneath her head. Her other breast near her foot; her liver between her legs and her spleen by the left side of her body. She was the last victim and he was never caught. Almost a hundred years later and he is still a legendary mystery!" He sighed softly as if telling a wonderful bedtime story. "Are you two up for the ghost tour then? I've been twice before and it's right entertaining!"

James shrugged. "Well, Artie, you told us quite a bit yourself. I think Lily and I will pass on this one and we might instead go on the London Ghost Tour."

Lily nodded, taking James' hand in hers. "I agree. Thanks for the story though, Artie."

He grinned at them. "You are most welcome!" He hopped off the wall and walked away whistling.

"Are all muggles that mad?" James asked as he watched Lily throw her half-eaten sandwich into the trash. "Why would a bloke get so excited about such a psychopath?"

"No, but that was much more information on Jack the Ripper than I ever wanted to know!"

James nodded. "I agree. I mean … they say Voldemort's a killer, a murderer even, but … using a wand is horrible, aye, but … a knife. You're so close and it becomes so personal. I always thought that the story of Adolphus Lorenzo Crones was bad, I think this is worse."

"Who was Crones?" Lily asked as they started to walk towards the London Ghost Tour.

"He was a mad-man! He lost his wife in a potion explosion and never got over it. He would kidnap witches in their twenties and transfigure them to look like his wife and when they tried to fight back he would blast off a limb. He killed six of them before he was caught. This was back in the 1820s. Crones was crazy!"

"Hmm," Lily said, wondering if it was best not to comment.

They lucked out, having arrived at the tour ten minutes before it was to start and there was room for them, another surprise. They spent the afternoon learning about London's ghosts and by the time that Lily dragged James into the British Museum, she was starving.

Artie's gruesome story-telling had knocked her appetite so she eagerly munched on crisps outside of the gift shop. They only had an hour before it closed so Lily took James through the Egyptian exhibit.

James simply grinned when they stepped back out into the sunlight. "Today was a lot of fun. I never knew muggle London could be so entertaining!"

Lily smiled up at him, standing on her toes to kiss him softly. "I had fun too. I haven't been to the Tower or the Museum since elementary school and the London Ghost Tour was new to me too. It was fun. Now, I'm going to drag you to some shops so that I can find a great ensemble for you to take me dancing in."

"Can I pick it out?"

"Nope."

He sighed. "Alright."

James was surprised at how much he enjoyed shopping with Lily. She knew what she was looking for which he found interesting and it only took an hour for her to choose a short black dress that went to the knee and spiralled out when she turned. She bought a pair of silver pumps with it. She came out of the dressing room in her new ensemble and did a little spin. "What do you think?"

"You look beautiful."

She smiled and paid for it, deciding to walk out of the store in her new clothes. When she was out of the store, she tugged James into an alley and shrunk her other clothes down so that she could fit them into her purse.

"Do you want to get something new?"

He shook his head. "Nah, we'll just transfigure my shirt."

She laughed and did just that, smiling when it turned into a dusky gray dress shirt. "Very sexy."

"Mmm, I noticed." He tugged her close for a long kiss. "So, dinner first and then dancing?"

"Perfect."

Dinner was delicious, but as James stepped into the dance club with Lily, he knew that this was going to be great. He could hear the sound of the base tapping and the music rocking the house. When Lily took his hand in hers and led him out onto the dance floor his grin only widened.

He placed his hands on her hips and let his leg slide between hers as she wrapped one arm around his neck and when they began to move, he only smiled at the feel of her pressed so close against him. Neither one of them spoke. His hazel ones met her green ones as they matched the beat of the music.

He was a good dancer, she realized. She hadn't really seen him dance at the Winter Masquerade so she was fairly surprised to see that he knew what he was doing. And he could do it well. She pulled away so as not to be quite so close because his eyes were looking at her in a way that had nothing to do with dancing, and when she did, he stepped it up a notch.

Lily wasn't sure what the song was that was playing as she was too focused on James, but he was spinning her and dipping her and bringing her to the front with moves that were a mix of Latin dance, the waltz, a bit on the dirty dancing front, and just fun. She was laughing as they danced and when the music finally turned slow, they held each other close and James nibbled on neck until she kissed him.

It was almost twelve thirty when they exited the club, both tired and in Lily's case, desperately wanting her boyfriend.

James slipped his arm around her. "That was fun! My legs kind of feel rubbery."

She laughed and reached up to kiss him softly. "Mmm, you are an incredible dancer. I had no idea."

"I'm a constant surprise. And my mum made me take dance lessons for five years."

"Five years?"

He nodded. "She insists that every young gentleman needs to know how to dance."

"And that last way we were dancing, was that in your lessons?"

He grinned now, eyes twinkling at her. "No, that was improvising."

"Well, it worked."

James laughed and took her hand in hers. "So, where to now?"

"I am ready to go home, I think. We've had a long day and I'm a little sleepy."

"Alright, home it is then."

They started walking past the Dance Fever Club and down the street. Lily didn't say anything when James held out his wand and the Knight Bus appeared in front of them. It was definitely a lot faster way to get home. James gave the address and he held her in his lap tightly as they bounced all over the place.

Half an hour later they arrived out front and they both stepped off. He placed his arm over her shoulders again. "Today was brilliant, Lily, I had a great time. The muggle world really has its high points."

She smiled at that. "It does indeed. Come on, let's get inside."

He followed her into the house and up the stairs. He kissed her goodnight and smiled at her. "I'll see you in the morning, goodnight."

Lily smirked at him and tugged him down to kiss him again. "Apparate." Then she pulled back. "Goodnight James," and she closed her bedroom door in his face.

It was only five minutes later when he appeared in her bedroom and she found herself in his arms.

"I'm so glad that you suggested this or you might have gotten a surprise."

She grinned and silenced her bedroom with James' wand before tossing it onto the nightstand. "Me too, now shut up and kiss me."

His grin widened at those words and he tumbled back onto the bed with her.

So far, visiting Lily's family really did have some good benefits.

When James woke up the next morning, Lily was still curled around him. He let his hand wander down until it was sitting on her breast and nuzzled her neck. She simply let out a soft sigh and cuddled into him. This only reminded him that he was definitely awake. He started to slide his hand down her stomach when there was a knock on the bedroom door and he froze.

He reached for his clothes planning to disapparate when the door swung open and Petunia stepped into the room so he simply dived back under the blankets.

Petunia rolled her eyes at him. "Please, its nothing I haven't seen before. Besides, Mum and Dad are already at work. It's after ten."

James nodded. "Oh, well, good."

Lily moved to cuddle into him, her head resting on his heart and he smiled as he placed his arm around her.

"She's still sleeping."

"I noticed. I need to talk to her though, can you please wake her up?" Petunia insisted, leaning against the door frame.

James sighed, realizing that she had clearly had no intention of leaving until she spoke to her sister. He reached down and slapped Lily's bum gently as he kissed her forehead. "Lily, honey, wake up." He let his hand slide around under the blankets and stroke over her gently and her eyes flew open. "Morning Beautiful."

Lily smiled at him. "Mmm, don't start things that you can't finish."

He grinned. "I plan to finish them but uh, Petunia's here."

Lily looked bewildered. "What?"

"Lily, I need to talk to you."

Lily's eyes widened as she reached for the blankets to make sure she was properly covered. "Tuney! What are you doing in here?"

Petunia grinned now. "Interrupting. Now will you please put some clothes on and come downstairs?"

"Okay. I'll be right there."

Petunia nodded and left the room.

Lily looked at James, her face flushed in embarrassment. "Did she just walk in?"

"Well, she knocked and then sort of walked in. I didn't get out fast enough. But she said your parents are at work so that's a relief, right?"

Lily sighed and climbed out of bed as James grinned at her.

"Love the view."

She rolled her eyes at him and grabbed his dress shirt off the floor. "Thanks for the shirt." She buttoned it up quickly before grabbing a pair of underwear from her dresser drawer.

James was practically drooling. She looked downright sexy in his shirt. "Hurry back up. I had plans for us this morning."

Lily's eyes moved to the bulge under the blankets and she grinned. "I'll do my best." She kissed him softly and then hurried out of the room before he could tug her back down into the bed which she knew she was not going to resist.

She made her way down the stairs and found Petunia sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea.

"Finally."

"Petunia, what on earth is so important that you had to enter my room without waiting for a response?" Lily insisted as she sat down across from her sister. "James and I might have been busy."

"Hmm, you two have been busy enough lately. You were in there much too long yesterday morning before you went out, don't tell me you want to do it again?"

Lily blushed a little. "That's not the point!"

"Alright, I'm sorry I barged in like that, but I have a huge problem and I'm panicking!"

"What is it?" Lily asked, looking at her sister in concern now.

Petunia bit her bottom lip as she spoke. "I'm five days late."

"Five days … oh, Tuney, you don't think … I mean, you've been safe right?"

Petunia nodded. "Well, yes, but you know how that stuff is not hundred percent guaranteed! And don't get me wrong, I do want a baby, just not yet! It's too soon and Vernon and I aren't even married yet! Can you imagine how his parents would act? How our parents would act? God, I bet Daddy still thinks I'm a virgin!"

"He probably does," Lily admitted. "Oh dear, well …" Her face lit up then. "I can check, I know a spell."

Petunia hesitated. "Lily … I don't … you know I'm not fond of magic."

Lily shook her head. "No, Tuney, this is a good one. It will light you a specific colour. If its gold, you have a baby inside of you. If its purple you don't."

"Really? It's that simple?"

"It's that simple. Hestia showed it to me last year after she had a false alarm. I'll be right back."

Lily hurried up to her bedroom and saw that James was still lying in her bed and she smiled. "You might as well go shower, I'm going to be a while. Some serious girl talk."

He nodded, stretching slightly. "I'm going to go back to sleep then."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'll come interrupt you when I'm done." She grabbed her wand off the dresser and hurried back down the stairs.

She moved towards her sister and gently whispered the charm, bringing the tip of her wand to her sister's stomach. Nothing happened for a moment and then it went pink, red, orange, blue, and purple where it stayed.

"You're not pregnant."

Petunia covered her stomach with her hands and promptly burst into tears.

Lily tossed her wand onto the kitchen table and knelt down in front of her sister, holding her hands in hers. "Tuney, why are you crying?"

"I don't know," she sobbed, moving to wrap her arms around her sister. "I didn't want to be pregnant but … I do want it at some point and I guess I just … wanted it a little."

"Oh Tuney, don't worry, when the time is right you will have a baby," Lily soothed. "I know it. Don't cry now."

Petunia wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded, standing up. "I know. It was stupid. I just … I panicked."

"That's more than understandable. If you want, I can give you the potion that I take. You have to take it once a week at the same time and it has a hundred percent work rate, but if you don't take it at the right time than you can get pregnant." She explained, thinking of the bottles that she had up in her trunk.

She smiled and shook her head. "No, thanks; I'll just stick with normal ways of birth control. Thanks Lily."

"No problem." Lily said, moving to sit back up in her chair and drink her tea. "Are you going to be alright now?"

"I think so. How was your day yesterday, after all the sex?"

Lily blushed again and grinned. "It was fantastic. The sex was too, but we went to the Tower of London and we went on a haunted ghost tour and spent some time at the British Museum before going out to dinner and checking out that Dance Fever Club. It was brilliant, we had a great time! James is a wonderful dancer."

Petunia nodded. "Well, I'm glad you had fun. I'm sorry I interrupted you guys this morning, but really, are you rabbits?"

Lily grinned at that. "I don't think we're that bad. We only made love once last night, okay and twice yesterday morning, and twice the night before. That doesn't make us rabbits."

"That's more sex than I've had in two weeks - it's been four days for you."

Lily grinned again. "Well, I don't know, it's just … I don't want to keep my hands off of him. When he touches me I just … I am in heaven and I never want him to stop."

"Well, it is new as well. You're in that can't keep your hands off of each other phase of the relationship." She said, grinning now. "Well, go on up but keep on eye on the clock. Dad said he was coming home at three to teach James how to play poker before the big game tonight."

"I will, thanks, Tuney!"

Petunia nodded, grinning now. "I'm going over to a friend's house. See you."

Lily grinned. "See you." Then she hurried back up the stairs, eager to get her hands on her boyfriend once again