CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: Bedrooms and Broomsticks
March 22, 1978
Dear Lily,
I know the only reason you didn't respond to my last letter is because you're too busy shagging Potter, so I'll let that slide for now. HOWEVER, Black and Lupin have been talking about some sort of Easter party you and Potter are throwing, and I'm honestly offended I haven't been invited. Hestia heard Mary tell Black that Alice told HER that this 'party' isn't going to be open to the public. Black said it's true, it's just a Marauders' event. However, you are not a Marauder. Also, Black then allegedly flirted with Mary, saying "but you can come along if you want, love." I think that's verbatim, I'm quoting Hestia quoting Black.
As always, Lily, I'm just trying to keep you up-to-date with Hogwarts gossip while you're shacking up with Potter. Name a baby after me, yeah?
And write back this time. I miss you.
Love,
Marlene
March 23, 1978
Lily,
Black, Pettigrew, and Lupin disappeared overnight. Dumbledore and McGonagall haven't said ANYTHING. Do you know anything about this? Is the Easter party still on? Is this some sort of SECRET PREPARATION thing I haven't been privy to know about? Please, please write back, Lily. I'm getting worried.
Marlene
March 23, 1978
Dearest Marlene,
I'm so so sorry I haven't written back! At first, yeah, I was busy with party preparation. But...things have been crazy here. I'll tell you before you find out through anyone else: Late last night James' father was found dead. We don't know for positive, but we think it was Death Eaters. James is a wreck, but the stupid idiot is determined to green-light the Easter party. "We have three days, Lily! We can still make it work." "We got MAYBE two hours of sleep last night, James. I don't think this is the best idea..." "Dad would have wanted us to go through with it."
How can I argue with that!?
Sirius and Remus and Peter are all here now. They came over immediately to help with James, but Dumbledore sent us a letter this morning promising to take care of the funeral. I don't think I've ever wanted to hug that man more than I do right now.
We were up really late last night (long, long story) and James is still in bed. I'm trapped in bed too—he has one arm around my waist and I don't think he plans on releasing me any time soon. Figured I might as well be productive as long as I'm stuck here, so I decided to finally read all your letters.
Of course you can come along to the party, you prat! I've drafted up a guest list, and I forced Sirius to make it a closed event otherwise the whole bloody school would've been lining up to Floo over. We can't have that, now can we?
Here's the list of the invited: Hestia, you, Frank, Alice, Aaron (you're welcome), Mary...basically, just all you Gryffindor lot and Frank the lone Hufflepuff.
Love,
Lily
Lily,
Marlene showed me your letter. I can't believe you didn't write me first, prig! Of course we'll be coming to the party! Didn't Potter connect the Gryffindor fireplace to the Floo network in fourth year? (I can't believe Dumbledore doesn't know about that, by the way. The man knows bloody everything. I bet he knows what color knickers I'm wearing.)
On a far more serious (and important) note: Why were you up late? Why are you in bed with Potter? DID YOU SHAG JAMES POTTER? I need answers, Lily! You can't leave us hanging.
I am sorry about James' dad, by the way. Give him our condolences, will you?
Much love,
Mary (and the entire 7th year girls dorm)
Mary (and the entire 7th year girls dorm),
You're all bloody awful, you know that? Fine, fine, I'll tell you the abbreviated version if you promise to write back quickly. James is still asleep (it's been two hours. My leg is cramping. Send emergency aid.) We were up ridiculously late last night because he decided to run off and hide with my mum for about half an hour while the four of us searched everywhere for him.
That's the thing about boyfriends, though, isn't it? You expect it to be rainbows and lollipops all the time, perfect kisses and emotional support. But it has to go both ways, and it can't be sunshine all the time. I suppose it's a test of the relationship.
Also, on that note, I did not SHAG him, thank you very much. We both needed emotional support. His room was closer than mine. We cuddled.
Oh, I think he's stirring. I'll send this off with Solomon or Mercury, whoever gets back first. See you all soon!
Lots of love,
Lily
James finally awoke to find his nose pressed against Lily's hip. She was sitting up, writing something on his bedside table, contorted awkwardly so as not to disturb him. He appreciated all of this as he gazed up at her, her long red hair falling in her face as she signed her name with a flourish. Lily blew her hair out of her eyes, sighing satisfactorily as she read through what she'd just written.
"Is that a love poem for me?" James mumbled sleepily. Lily jumped, the bone of her hip ramming into his cheekbone. He rolled away, squinting in the light and pressing a hand to his cheek.
"Sorry," Lily said, not sounding particularly sorry. "No, it's not for you, love. It's for Mary, a quick rundown on recent events and her invite to your Easter party." She yawned, beckoning Solomon over from where he had perched on the windowsill. James' curled form on the bed made a perfect landing strip, and the owl perched himself on James shoulder, claws digging in.
Lily tied the letter to Solomon's leg, offering him one of the treats James kept in the drawer of his nightstand. "Nip Mary on the hand, would you?" she asked, peering into the owl's eyes. "She's been awfully intrusive."
The owl gave a hoot of what Lily hoped was comprehension, and dug his claws painfully into James shoulder once more to soar back out through the open window.
The curtains fluttered in the light breeze, ruffling James' hair and prompting Lily to shiver slightly. "I can't imagine it's any earlier than noon," Lily mused, peering through the window in an attempt to spot the position of the sun. "We ought to get up, shouldn't we?"
James rolled back over and latched an arm around Lily's waist like a seatbelt. She gazed down at him, an amused smile playing on her lips and an eyebrow quirked up. "Mm. Stay." James' eyes were screwed shut against the light once more.
Lily poked his arm. "Oh dear. I've been bested by your arm." She laid a hand on her forehead dramatically. "Whatever shall I do?"
The door banged open then, admitting an enthusiastic Sirius and a flustered Remus. "The eggs are here!" Sirius said happily. "We'd left them in the dorm when we rushed over, but McKinnon pulled through and owled them to us.
James hastily retracted his arm and sat up. "There's a thing called knocking," he said tersely.
Sirius waved this aside. "I haven't knocked since first year. Anyways, Peters organizing them down in the parlor. We're going to hide them tomorrow, before Moony heads back to Hogwarts."
"Before you lot head back to Hogwarts," Lily corrected. "I'll hide them while you're gone."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Evans, we know every inch of this place. You can't hide shit from us."
A smile played on Lily's lips. "I wouldn't doubt me that much. Now get out, you prats, I need to get dressed." She threw back the covers for emphasis, swinging her bare feet onto the ground. Looking suspicious, Sirius slunk from the room, followed by a pale Remus.
"He doesn't look well," Lily commented, braiding her hair over one shoulder.
"He never does, in the days leading up to the full moon." James rolled his head, cracking his neck and reaching across Lily for his glasses. He shoved them onto his face, blinking at the revelation that was unclouded sight.
Lily gathered a pair of jeans and a cardigan from her trunk, heading to the adjoining bathroom. "Don't worry about the Easter preparations," she said, stopping with a hand resting on the doorframe. "I'll take care of it. Go to Hogwarts with Moony—can I call him that, by the way?—and don't worry your pretty head about it."
James grinned, running a hand through the hair on his pretty head. "You're one of us now, Evans. You can call us anything you want."
"Merlin help me," Lily muttered, closing the bathroom door behind her. But she couldn't fight the grin creeping onto her face.
A/N
Disclaimer: chapter does not include broomsticks
I'm sorry it's short and filler guys! The end of junior year is upon me, and between heart-wrenching concerts and ridiculous final projects (carpentry for an english final. kill me.) i've been ridiculously busy.
Yes, the story is wrapping up. I'm only going until graduation (theirs, not mine!) and then i'm considering a fantasy AU. i started it as a one-shot (i'm obsessed with the jily royalty fest!) but i've got ideas for it to be longer, if you guys are interested. let me know! your reviews are so sweet, as always.
all my love,
xoxo Alys