Aaaaaaaaaaand we're back!

SparklesJamesLilyHSM13: Aw, thanks for loving the story! And here's that update you wanted :D

apoorvam77: You'll see what happens ;)

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Disclaimer: Der rites too Hairy Podder aint mein. Eye done one Airy Podder enny mor dan yoo doo. Nulezz yer jay kay rowwleeng. (The rights to Harry Potter aren't mine. I don't own Harry Potter any more than you do. Unless you're J K Rowling.)

James's POV:

The sudden disappearance of the Head Girl was the talk of everybody for the next week.

All of the professors seemed thoroughly unsurprised that she was missing, but they refused to answer any of our questions. They'd simply insist that "it was not withing their obligation to reveal any information to inquisitive but uninformed pupils."

Whatever that meant.

In the meantime, rumours spread like wildfire.

A few people were insisting that Lily had ditched school like several other seventh years had, in order to join the Death Eaters. I dismissed this rumour immediately, though. As if Lily Evans would ever join Voldemort.

Another theory going around was that her parents were secretly involved in some bizarre Voldemort-resistance-cult-slash-conspiracy-thing the Muggles formed. Where this theory came from, I had no idea. But it was so far-fetched on so many levels, I ignored it.

One rumor that amused me was that Lily had a fallout with her parents and had run away to Zimbabwe.

The things people cooked up.

But one theory stood out more than the others. It, unlike Lily becoming a Death Eater or a Zimbabwean, seemed entirely plausible. In fact, it seemed more than plausible, it just made everything make sense.

They were saying Lily had met a Muggle boy over the summer and had abandoned Hogwarts so as to be with him.

All the evidence seemed to support it.

First of all, Lily was Muggleborn, which meant she'd've had more than enough exposure to Muggle boys over the summer.

Then there were the letters. She'd abruptly stopped owling me. If she was spending time with a new boyfriend, then why would she want to waste time owling me?(1)

And, watching her this year through the Marauder's Map, I'd seen her spending a lot of time alone is deserted corridors. Why else would she be alone other than secretly communicating with a boyfriend outside of Hogwarts?

And then there was the kiss. If she had a boyfriend...and I'd kissed her...

Bloody hell. No wonder she'd been avoiding me this whole time.

I couldn't handle it. Lily having another boyfriend, her leaving Hogwarts in the middle of her seventh year — while she was Head Girl — just was too much to stand.

So much had changed.

And I couldn't help but feel as if it was all my fault.

Nine days after Lily's disappearance, me, Peter, Sirius, and Remus, were in the common room. Remus was looking over our Transfiguration notes (which apparently were too short, which seemed ridiculous to me; I already knew everything in the lesson). Sirius was chatting with Peter about the latest girl he'd been snogging, and I was sitting quietly in my chair. I'd been doing a lot of silent sitting lately.

Some chattering from behind me captured my attention. I recognized the voices as Mary's, Marlene's, and Alice's. They were talking about Lily.

"D'you s'pose it's true, then?"

"Lily? Nah, Lily doesn't seem the type to get pregnant, does she?"

"But if she was, that'd explain why she's been so moody and secluded this year."

"But Lily?"

"I dunno..."

"Why wouldn't she tell us?"

"Would you tell us?"

"Of course!"

"Hmm..."

"I would!"

"You seemed to have thought this over!"

"Are you implying—"

"Alice, shut up."

"But Mary practically accused me of being—"

"How long have you been with Frank again?"

"You two, shut up. We were talking about Lily, remember?"

"Right. D'you suppose she's got a Muggle beau, then?"

"Must've."

"She didn't mention anything in her letters..."

"Well, it seemed obvious to me she fancied someone, I just thought..."

"Thought what?"

"Nothin'."

"Tell me."

"Not now, Marlene."

"Fine...but I guess if Lily does have a boyfriend, she might as well be—"

I couldn't listen anymore. It was getting too painful.

I stood up immediately, and headed for the portrait hole."

"Prongs, where're you—" Sirius began.

"Out."

"But—"

"I just need to clear my head, alright?"

Sirius watched me closely, then stood up. "I'm coming with you."

I held out my hand. "That's alright, I'd rather be alone."

Sirius looked worried, and opened his mouth to protest, but Remus interrupted him. "He'll be all right, Pads."

Sirius glanced back and forth between us, then slowly sank bank into his chair.

I smiled momentairly, and I made my way out the portrait hole. Once out, I slipped my invisibility cloak on, and made a beeline down to the closest secret passageway that led out of Hogwarts.

It only took about five or ten minutes for me to emerge from the tunnel, a fair distance from the castle. Immediately I closed my eyes.

I need to go somewhere. Anywhere.

Home was out of the question, because of awkward questions from my mother.

I just needed to go somewhere where I could distract myself.

I apparated to Diagon Alley.

The stores were lit up, flashing signs advertising new products. My eyes glazed right over them, taking in the light and shapes and color, but not caring what it all meant.

I kept walking distractedly. Even Lily's closest friends thought she had a boyfriend. It just made so much sense.

Soon enough, I found myself mindlessly wandering, not even noticing where I was. But then a sudden noise made my head pip up again, and I was instantly focused.

Sobbing

Lily's sobbing.

My head spun wildly around, looking. Then they landed on a familiar redhead, huddled up against a street sign, sobbing. Her arms were clutched around he knees and she was staring directly down.

I looked up at the street sign, and realized this was the intersection that led to Knockturn Alley. Why was Lily here?

I wanted to rush to her immediately, but I hesistated. Based after everything I heard, it seemed as if the cause of Lily would have to do with the Muggle boy. Maybe he hurt her. Maybe...maybe she really was pregnant.

But whichever it was, I knew it would be unbearable to listen to Lily going on about some other guy.

She sobbed again, this time choking on her sobs. It broke my heart to see her like this. I knew that whatever the problem was, it didn't matter. I had to help her, get her out of this area, comfort her.

I called out. "Lily."

What do you think? :D

1) You know James has changed when he considers any time spent with him as time wasted. He's lost a LOT of his hot air.

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