Chapter 30 (its 9 pages!!omg!)
Can't believe I made it this far!!
"Will you come home with me for Christmas?" James asked Lily as he threw some clothes into his trunk.
"I don't know," she replied from where she was lounging on James' bed, "I wouldn't want to intrude."
"You wouldn't be intruding Lily, I promise! My parents would love to have you. I mean, I don't think my mum will believe that we are together if I can't bring her proof. She would love having another girl in the house, and I really want you to meet my dad incase he- I want you to come," he finished, his tone of voice suddenly changing.
"I would have to talk to McGonagall."
"Already taken care of," James grinned.
"Oh, you just assumed that I would come?" Lily asked sitting up and crossing her arms over her chest.
"I figured that my charm and good looks would be enough to convince you."
"You really are bigheaded Potter."
"Hey, come now. I thought we quit the name calling!"
"You deserved that one."
"I guess so. I had the house elves prepare your stuff just in case."
"What? James! What if I said no?"
"Then I would have to drag you kicking and screaming."
"Ass," Lily murmured as she walked out of James' room and into the bathroom, "Did they pack my bath stuff?"
"Yeah, you sure do have a lot. What do you need all of that for?"
"They are my beauty supplies, I need them for-"
"Don't say they are for beauty because you'd be lying to yourself," James said, the serious tone from before returned to his voice.
"I-what?"
"Lily, you don't need any extra stuff to make yourself beautiful. You already are."
"Okay, now you are really starting to sound like your old self."
"But I mean it," James replied as he walked into the bathroom and placed his hands on her shoulders, "I meant it then and I mean it now Lily."
"Promise?"
"With all my heart," he said as he pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her.
"And everything you've ever told me over the years, is that all true as well?"
"Everything," James nodded as he placed his chin on the top of Lily's head.
"Even- even when you said that you l-love me?" she asked, lifting her head to look at him.
James opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by Nemwick.
"Both of your trunks are in the common room and Mr. Black is outside waiting. He says hurry or you will be late."
James placed a kiss on Lily's head and walked out of the room. She heard the portal door open and close but she remained rooted in place.
"Bet he didn't see that one coming," Nemwick laughed.
"Shut up," Lily retorted as she walked into her room and took one last account of her belongings.
She made her way out of the room and was followed by Nemwick's chides the whole way through the castle. Outside, Professor McGonagall was rushing the last few stragglers into carriages. Lily confirmed her leaving and McGonagall wished her well on her holidays. She met up with Anne and Maribel on the platform and they began to load their luggage onto the train.
"James told us that you might be coming," Anne squealed as she hugged her friend.
"Yea," Lily sighed as she plopped down in their compartment.
"Oh, no," Maribel said, sitting beside Lily, "I sense trouble in paradise. What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Lily replied, glancing out the window to avoid eye contact with her friends.
"Lily," Anne said from where she had knelt on the floor in front of the troubled girl, "You are my best friend and I know when something is bothering you, so what happened?"
"I-I asked James if he loves me."
As Lily was speaking, Sirius barreled into the room and skidded to a halt in front of Lily.
"Why in the name of all things magic did you ask him that? He's told you that almost every day for seven years that he loves you!"
"OUT BLACK!" Maribel demanded, her finger rigidly pointed toward the door, eyes never leaving Lily's face.
Sirius obeyed and Anne shut and locked the door before turning back to Lily.
"Lily, you know he loves you, so why are you upset?"
"He didn't answer me."
"Lily Evans, this is James Potter we are talking about. Knowing him he plans on candles and stars and moon light and all of that shit before he says that he loves you!"
"Bel is right. He would want something special before he says it.
"Yea, like 'I love you Lily' in big read and gold fireworks!" Sirius shouted as he pounded on the locked door.
"BLACK!" Maribel yelled as the door flew open, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kick your ass!"
"Because it's hot," and with that he took off down the train.
"I'll make it hot!" Maribel threatened as she began to follow him.
"They belong together," Anne laughed as she placed a hand on Lily's shoulder, "Do you want to go find Remus and James?"
"I don't really want to be around him right now."
"Let's stay here then, we've hardly spent anytime together this year."
James and Remus found Lily and Anne as the train slowed into the station. Remus and Anne went off to wish each other good-bye and James helped Lily with getting her belongings off of the train. Lily expected an awkward silence to fall between them but James acted as if the bathroom incident had never happened. They met up with Sirius and walked out of the station.
"Um, my parents couldn't come and meet us. Do you know how to work these cab things?" James asked Lily with a perplexed look on his face.
Lily sighed and shook her head as she flagged down a cabbie. They loaded their belongings into the carriage and climbed into the back.
"What do I do with all of this?" James asked as he thrust a load of muggle currency into Lily's hands.
"Where to folks?" the cabbie addressed the group the same time as James' question to Lily.
"Hold on to it for now. Erm, James, your address."
"My what?"
"Address James, give the man your address."
"Oh, sorry. 11325 Wiscot Lane, Ackerley Village."
"Ackerley Village? Sorry mate, we don't go there, they say that place is haunted."
"Could you just drop us off as close as possible then?" Lily asked before James and Sirius could say something stupid about magic.
The cabbie grunted and pulled away from the station. Sirius was a bit worried when the car began to move but began to start shouting "wee" once he became comfortable in the metal machine. On more that one occasion Lily had to yell at him as if he were a child, which caused the driver to glance back at the three with a confused expression on his face.
"I won't go past these trees," the driver announced as they pulled up along a row of tall oak trees.
"That's because he can't go past these trees," James whispered in Lily's ear.
Lily paid and thanked the driver and followed James and Sirius through the thicket.
"Ackerley is an all wizarding village. Muggles can't come in, when ever they get close they think they see ghosts and run off," James explained, guiding Lily through the woods, "My backyard is just through here."
The shrubbery cleared to a large grassy area and in the distance, a huge house. As soon as the house came into view Sirius took off running and yelling. James laughed, grabbed Lily's hand and apparated the two of them the rest of the way. He knocked on the door and an older woman answered the door. She was tall and thin and her gray hair had faint streaks of red in it. James' mum gave off the impression that she had been extremely beautiful in her youth.
"Jamesie! Oh, baby I've missed you. Where is that crazy brother of yours? I hear him, is he running across my lawn? That boy will never learn- oh, oh my, who is this now?"
"Mum, this is Lily Evans, Lily this is my mum."
"Lily Evans?" she gasped as she vigorously shook Lily's hand, "Welcome. You may call me Rose or Mum, which ever you prefer. The boys all call me mum; honestly you'd think I have four sons! Now I don't look like I've had four sons do I? Well I sure do hope not. Come in out of the cold. Oh James, please go get Sirius, I'm worried that he's run into my plants again. That boy acts like such an animal some times."
Mrs. Potter pulled Lily into the house and shut the door on James' face. Lily followed her through a few extravagant rooms before they came upon the kitchen. It was the sort of kitchen that Lily used to have when her father was alive, warm and homey and full of delicious smells. She hardly had time to take it all in before Mrs. Potter was showing her to a seat and taking her robes.
"I'm sorry to ask dear and it must seem very rude of me but, are you really Lily Evans? The Lily Evans?"
"Yes," Lily laughed, deciding that she liked James' mum very much.
"How did my James get you to come here? Oh, he is so difficult sometimes, he didn't force you did he?"
"Course not mum," James said as he walked into the room and placed his arms around Lily's shoulder, "Actually, I brought Lily with me because I've got something to tell you and I didn't think you'd believe me if I didn't have proof."
"And what is that?"
"Lily and I are a couple now," James said, a silly grin spreading across his face.
"You're right I don't believe it, from what dear Remus tells me you drive poor Lily here crazy. Is he behaving himself Lily?"
"Yes, James has shaped up to be quite the gentleman this year."
"And the two of you, you're really together?"
"Yes."
"Oh dear, when will you be willing take him for good and will you take Sirius as well? The sooner I can get these two boys out of my hair, who knows, some of this gray may even fade," she laughed as she turned to the pots cooking on the stove.
"Aw, we didn't cause all of that, mum," Sirius said as he entered the kitchen and placed a kiss on the top of her head.
"No, but you caused most of it. I'm telling you Lily, every time an owl appears at that window I sit here thinking it's a letter from Dumbledore saying that they've gone and caused some sort of trouble."
"We're not that bad!" James cried in defense.
"You hush up, no yelling in the house," Mrs. Potter scolded James as she playfully tapped his head with the ladle in her hand, "Take your things up stairs and show Lily to a room, I don't care which one, they are all clean."
"Can she stay in James' room?" Sirius asked, a mischievous grin plastered to his face.
"No, you go make sure Jamie puts her in a room at least three doors from his own," Mrs. Potter replied, turning away from Sirius and back to her cooking.
