Surprises and Vows

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews!

'Bloody hell.'

After James filled his friends in on his attack, they all stared at him with pale faces. Peter was chewing his fingernails nervously while Remus couldn't seem to find the words to voice his own thoughts. Sirius had stood up and was now pacing in front of James' bed restlessly.

'Sirius stop doing that,' said Remus. 'You're making us all jittery.' Sirius stopped in his tracks and ran a hand through his wavy hair.

'Sorry,' he muttered. 'I'm just thinking about this Rankin fellow.' Peter squeaked out in fear.

Remus sighed and propped an elbow on James' bed. 'It's a frightening thought isn't it… that he took on seven Aurors and won, all without James' parents noticing,' he muttered.

'They say he's Voldemort's most faithful Death Eater,' James said quietly. 'My dad told me.'

Remus frowned at him thoughtfully. 'There is one thing I wanted to ask you James… if you don't mind,' he added hastily.

James shrugged and motioned for him to continue. Remus cleared his throat. 'Was Lucien Rankin the one who—'

Remus' question was cut off when the door suddenly burst open, revealing a healer dressed in white robes. Next to her were three people, all of whom had red faces and winter jackets.

It was Frank, Alice and—James heart leapt—Lily.

'Please respect the patient, he needs his rest,' the healer said sternly. She stood aside to let them through.

'Potter, we only just heard!' Alice wheezed as she caught her breath. 'H-how are you?' She flushed. 'I mean, of course you aren't—they told us you were put under the Cruciatus curse…' she trailed off looking ashamed.

James forced out a laugh and motioned them to his bedside. Frank and Alice sat down, and after a moment, Lily also took a seat although he noticed that she wouldn't meet his gaze.

'I'm okay,' he said. 'Just a bit sore.'

Frank leaned in. 'Who was it?' He asked quietly. 'Who attacked you?' James hesitated. He wasn't sure if he should tell Frank, but upon seeing the boy's fierce gaze he relented.

'Lucien Rankin, Voldemort's right hand man,' he said.

Alice gasped. 'V-Voldemort's right hand man?' she echoed. Frank leaned back in his chair looking shocked. 'I don't understand… why you? Why send his most faithful servant after a second year?' he asked in a hushed voice.

'My dad's given him a lot of trouble in the past,' James said bitterly. 'I guess he just wants revenge now that he's-he's getting a bit older,' he trailed off.

'The ministry should have provided you with protection then!'

James looked up, startled. It was Lily who had spoken. Her knuckles were white as she gripped James' sheets.

'We did have protection,' he told her. 'Seven Aurors… and Rankin murdered all of them.'

Lily gasped. 'That's terrible…' she whispered.

Unable to withstand the conversation any longer, James searched desperately for a change in subject. He couldn't bear to sit with all of his friends and Lily, and speak about Rankin… not when he may have just painted targets on their heads by letting Rankin into his mind so easily.

He noticed that Frank and Alice were holding hands tightly. He pointed at their entwined fingers inquiringly.

'Are you two—?'

Frank and Alice looked at their fingers, and then at each other, and finally at James. They nodded, both looking incredibly embarrassed. Sirius immediately swooped in on them like a bat.

'You two are going out aren't you!' he declared, dramatically pointing a finger at them.

They waited for several moments for Frank or Alice to refute this claim, but they simply sat there under Sirius' gaze looking mortified. Then chaos erupted.

Lily turned and gaped at Alice. 'You never told me!' she squealed.

Alice hugged her apologetically. 'Sorry! It-it just happened over break,' she said happily. James, glad for a change in subject, got to his feet gingerly and joined Sirius in thumping a red-faced Frank on the back.

'Congratulations mate!'

'I knew it would happen sooner or later!'

'Have you kissed yet?'

Peter's question stunned them all into silence.

Remus was glaring at Peter, who had broken into a cold sweat. 'Just kidding,' he whispered, his eyes darting around them fearfully. James slowly turned to look at Frank, whose face now resembled a ripe tomato.

'W-we haven't,' he said bashfully. Alice was staring at the floor, but it didn't escape James' notice that she was grinning.

'I'm really happy for you two,' he said seriously. 'Really, I'm surprised it took this long actually.' He grinned and Alice beamed at him. Lily was eyeing him with an odd expression on her face from behind her.

'Thanks James!' Alice said gratefully. He raised an eyebrow and she shrugged.

'I figured it's about time we call each other by our first names,' she said cheerfully.

While the others continued to shower Frank and Alice with jokes and demanded an explanation as to how they had gotten together, James turned to Lily and smirked.

'Hear that Evans? When are you and I going to get on a first name basis?' He teased.

Lily stuck her nose into the air haughtily. 'That would be the day you stop acting like a foul prat all the time,' she sniffed. Her expression softened slightly.

'I hope you feel better soon,' she mumbled awkwardly. 'I mean- I can't imagine… the Cruci—'

James held up a hand. 'Thanks Evans,' he said cheerfully. 'I must say that I feel a lot better now that you're here by my sickbed.'

Lily fidgeted uncomfortably, then checked her watch and did a double take. 'Oh no I'm late…' she moaned as she stood up hastily. 'I promised I'd be home by eight!'

Alice finally broke free from Sirius' nonstop stream of questions and made her way over to them. 'Leaving already?' She asked. Lily nodded. 'My parents are waiting in front of the fireplace,' she said as she pulled on her jacket. 'I'll see you soon!'

Lily waved at them as she left. As soon as the door shut behind her, James felt his spirits sink.

Sirius had clearly noticed this, for he whipped out a package. 'It's time for our Christmas presents!' he said gleefully.

To James' surprise, the others had all brought their presents for him along with them to St. Mungos. In light of the attack, he had completely forgotten that today was Christmas.

'Open mine first,' Sirius said eagerly, handing James a large, hastily wrapped package. James tore it apart and raised an eyebrow as he held up Sirius' present. It was a large photograph of the four of them in the Gryffindor common room. Like other wizarding photographs, the people inside this one moved and talked as well. James grinned as the photo-James chased the photo-Sirius around with a fanged Frisbee. 'Thanks mate, I'll keep this in my room,' he said as Sirius pretended to cry in delight.

'I sent you my gift last night, did you get it?' He added.

Sirius stopped joking around and looked livid. 'My mum got to it before I did,' he growled. 'And she threw it away as soon as she saw that you'd sent it… can you believe that old hag?!'

'She threw it away?' James exclaimed furiously.

He let out a sigh. Of course Sirius' parents wouldn't have been happy about their son having anything to do with him. 'No worries, I'll send you another one mate— I got you new Quidditch gloves,' he said bracingly. They proceeded to verbally abuse Sirius' parents and ten minutes later, Sirius looked much more cheerful.

'On to the next one!' he declared.

Next James opened Remus' present, —which to no one's surprise— included a book titled, 'The Fifty Most Useful Jinxes,' as well as a box of chocolate frogs. In return, James had gotten his friend a book titled, 'Fifty Foolproof Ways to Woo a Witch,' and defended his choice by declaring that Remus needed as much romantic advice as he could get before it was too late.

While Remus glowered at him and Sirius, Frank and Alice laughed in amusement, James opened Peter's present, which was simply a humongous shipping of all kinds of candy from Honeydukes. He held up James' present, which was virtually the same thing, with a grin. 'Great minds think alike,' he quipped.

Sirius nudged him. 'I'm not sure about that Pete,' he said with a roguish wink. 'I'd say you two are more like idiots.' He dodged a punch from Peter and roared with laughter.

James turned to Frank and Alice apologetically. 'My presents for you two were still at home when it happened…' he said. 'They're most likely burnt to crisps by now.'

Frank held up a hand. 'It's fine, it's the thought that counts,' he said bracingly. He held out a package. 'This is Alice and my present to you,' he said bashfully. 'Thought you might like it.'

James plastered what he hoped to be an excited smile on his face as he opened their present, which was a pair of expensive Quidditch goggles. 'It certainly beats wearing glasses while flying,' Alice reasoned.

James tried the goggles on. 'Thanks you two, these are really cool!'

Not long after he opened their present, Alice and Frank stood up at the same time, saying that they needed to return home. 'I hope you get out of here soon James!' Alice called to him before they disappeared behind the door.

Remus was the next to leave, followed by Peter. The two boys promised to come and visit James once more before they returned to school. 'Merry Christmas,' Remus said as he waved goodbye.

James and Sirius were now the only ones left in the room.

'You don't have to pretend anymore you know,' Sirius said casually as he propped his feet on James' bed.

He raised an eyebrow when James looked at him inquiringly. 'I'm your best mate,' he said simply. 'I can tell you don't want to talk about it, so I won't ask.'

James felt a rush of gratitude towards Sirius. However, this was quickly replaced by a pang of guilt.

'Sirius,' he said slowly. 'There's something I need to tell you… it's something Rankin said last night when he attacked me.'

Sirius jerked his head to face James. 'What did he say?' he demanded.

James recounted how Rankin had probed into his mind that night and seen all of his close friends, Sirius included. He also admitted his fear that it was his fault they were all in danger now. When he was finished, he found Sirius glaring at him.

'What?' he asked.

Sirius reached forward and smacked him upside the head. 'Oi!' James exclaimed angrily. 'What the hell was that for?'

'For being a prat,' Sirius said calmly. 'Look James, we were all in danger whether or not Rankin saw into your mind last night.'

James didn't respond right away, for he didn't quite get what Sirius was saying.

Sirius leaned forward in his seat.

'I'm the first member of the Black family line to be sorted into Gryffindor,' he said firmly, staring James in the eye. 'Longbottom's whole family was slaughtered last year, and he could very well have been killed that night too,' he added. 'Remus is a werewolf, and if word ever got out, Voldemort would definitely want to recruit him to his side. Peter is our closest friend, so that puts him in just as much danger as the next person. Alice is dating Frank now, so that puts her in the spotlight as well. And Lily… Lily is muggle-born James, I think that's self-explanatory.'

He clapped James on the shoulder bracingly.

'You see? We were all targets before and this doesn't change anything. It's not your fault mate.'

James stared at Sirius for a moment before he broke out laughing. Sirius looked like he thought that James might be mad, but he couldn't help but join in and the two of them rolled around in mirth for a while.

'What the bloody hell is so funny?' Sirius demanded as he wiped his eyes.

James shrugged. 'I dunno, I just needed a laugh,' he replied.

They stared at each other for a moment.

'Next time,' Sirius vowed. 'You won't be alone.'

James grinned at his best friend and they bumped fists. 'Marauder's always have each other's backs,' they said in unison, before breaking into another fit of laughter.