"Prongs, I've found it," Sirius said, bursting into the room.
"Obviously not your manners," James retorted, sitting up in his bed. Lily was curled up next to him, wearing his old t-shirt. She had taken to sleeping in his bed as the weeks passed. Now that they were halfway through the term she hadn't slept in her own bed in months.
"What?" He looked at Lily's sleeping form and waved his hand, dismissing James' comment. Oh, whatever." He sat down on the bed and Lily groggily woke up.
"What's happening?" She asked sleepily.
"Nothing, Lils, you can go back to sleep," Sirius said. Lily looked at him skeptically. He dropped a newspaper in James' lap. "I've found it. The most perfect motorcycle." He pointed to the ad near the bottom of the page with a grainy picture of a motorcycle and a small paragraph describing it. "We're going to look at it tonight."
"We?" James asked, picking up the newspaper.
"You got any better plans?" He asked. James looked at Lily who shrugged.
"Guess not."
"Great, I'll pick you up at eight. Wear something sexy," Sirius instructed, taking the newspaper and leaving the room.
"I don't have to go if you wanted to, you know," James said suggestively.
"You can get action from your boyfriend tonight. I'll take you tomorrow night," Lily said, turning back over and trying to go back to sleep. She stopped halfway. "Though I guess our custody agreement says that he gets you on the weekends."
"Ha ha, very funny." He laid back down. "He actually asked if he could have Monday night and give you Sunday this week," he said quietly.
"I'm in a custody battle with my boyfriend and my boyfriend's boyfriend," Lily mumbled into her pillow. James laughed and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into her neck. She pushed him off and rolled to the other side of the bed. She got up and James whined. "I have to go get ready, we're going to finish that Transfiguration essay in the library today."
James shook his head. "I refuse."
"Who said I was inviting you?" She asked, laughing. She leaned over to kiss him before leaving the room.
She stepped out into the common room and unexpectedly saw Marlene sitting on the armrest of the couch. She looked up and smiled. "Tried your room first, but now I see why you weren't in there."
She nodded awkwardly. "I don't sleep in my bed much anymore." Marlene nodded and they looked at each. "Did you need to talk to me, or…" she trailed off.
"Yeah." She moved to couch and sat down, indicating Lily should sit down too. "I know I apologized, but I didn't really mean it. I was angry in the moment, and then I just didn't want to admit that I overreacted."
"You didn't really though, you were right Mary could have been killed-"
"But that wasn't your fault. We could have been attacked anywhere or anytime. Just because Snivellus helped them doesn't mean it wouldn't have happened some other time." She hung her head. "And if it wasn't for you we probably wouldn't have come out alive, or at least unhurt. Alice was right, there's no telling if he hadn't already given the potion away, or if you getting rid of it would have done anything."
Lily tried to speak but Marlene shook her head and kept going. "And I shouldn't have said all of those things about you still caring about him. I know he was your friend for a long time and that it would be hard to just stop being friends with someone. And I know you aren't looking out for him or helping him. That was just a cheap shot." She sighed. "I'm sorry. I really am. I'm sorry I didn't talk to you sooner. I've been miserable these past few weeks without you. I hate not talking to you every day. And I missed your birthday. I've been a shitty friend."
"I'm sorry too. I should have tried to talk to you about it before." She reached out and grabbed her hands. "I miss talking to my best friend."
"Me too."
"We have so much to catch up on," Lily said, scooting closer to her.
"I know, there's so much I've been wanting to tell you." She grinned. "I have a girlfriend now. In Ravenclaw. On the Quidditch team."
"Spill," Lily ordered.
"Alright, let's go," Sirius said, trotting down the steps from the boys' dorm. James and Lily were waiting on him in the common room. James nodded, handing his book to Lily and standing up.
"Where are you guys going?" Mary asked, looking up from her History of Magic homework.
"On a date," Marlene commented.
"I told James to wear something sexy, but obviously he ignored that request," Sirius complained, indicating James' old sweater and jeans.
"Doesn't matter what he's wearing when he's got a body like that," Lily said. James high-fived her over her book. Sirius rolled his eyes and the two climbed out of the portrait hole into the corridor.
James threw the cloak over them and they began their awkward shuffle to nearest hidden passageway. Sirius' long hair kept sticking to James' face and getting in his mouth. "How long is this going to take?" James asked. He looked behind him often, wary of anyone following them.
"Come on Prongs, where's your sense of adventure?" Sirius asked, grinning.
They made it to the statue of the one-eyed witch and prodded it, forcing it to reveal the tunnel. James and Sirius slid out from under the cloak, sprinting down the passageway into Hogsmeade and resurfacing on the other side. They spun quickly and apparated to London, near the seller's house. It was in an industrial part of town, grimy, tall apartment buildings towering over them as they passed by. They walked in the cold February air, hands shoved in their pockets, heads down against the wind.
"How are we sneaking this back to Hogwarts?" James asked.
"Rosie said she'd watch it for me until Easter holiday. After that I'll take it 'round your mum and dad's," Sirius answered. James laughed. Rosmerta, the barmaid at The Three Broomsticks, always had a soft spot for him. She must have been crushed when she realized he was dating Remus.
They walked for several more blocks, taking sharp turns through the dank back alleys. Their footsteps echoed on the cobblestone beneath them, occasionally crunching into patches of snow along the road. They came up on the seller's flat. James knocked on the door and they waited for a moment. No one answered. They looked around and saw a box with the names of the tenants next to yellow and worn buttons. Sirius tentatively reached out and pressed the buzzer. "Yeah?" came a gruff voice from the box, causing them both to jump.
"Here about the bike," Sirius said into the speaker, rather loudly.
"Alrigh', no need to shout, I'm comin', I'm comin'," the disembodied grunted into the speaker.
James and Sirius waited for a few moments, shuffling back and forth to keep warm. The sun had set hours ago and the air was becoming significantly cooler. A stout man appeared in the doorway. He had a gruff beard and greying hair. He unlocked the door, stepping out. "It's bloody freezin' out here." James nodded in agreement. "Tom," he said, thrusting his hand out.
Sirius took his hand. "Sirius."
"Wonky name," Tom commented gruffly. Sirius shrugged. "Follow me."
They walked a few paces down the street to where he had parked the motorcycle. It sat, its metal gleaming in the light of street lamp overhead. Sirius walked around it, looking at it, touching some parts, looking at it. James eyed it suspiciously. It was light blue, a large headlight pointing forward. Sirius looked up. "Can I try it out?" He asked.
The seller, standing with his arms crossed over his chest nodded. "Yeah. Giver her a go 'round the block." He tossed Sirius the keys and he started the engine. Sirius climbed on, checking things out for moment. James didn't think Sirius had ever ridden a motorcycle before. He turned the throttle and took off, rather jerkily. James watched as he whipped down the street, clumsily navigating his way through it. "He ever ridden one before?" Tom asked. James shrugged, guessing Sirius must have read how to turn it on and handle it in one of his magazines.
A few moments later Sirius came around the corner and pulled slowly into where it was parked before. "I'll take it!" He yelled. The man grunted, obviously not caring to where or to whom this motorcycle might go. Sirius didn't bother to haggle the price. He pulled out some Muggle money and the man helped him count it out, confused at Sirius' apparent lack of knowledge about it.
Once the man had his money he waved them off and the pair climbed onto the bike. "Don't fuck her up too bad. She's a good machine," he said, turning away.
"Thanks!" Sirius yelled back. He took off and James frantically grabbed at the sides, trying not to fall off. Sirius looked back at him for a moment. "How great is this?" James nodded weakly, his knuckles turning white. Sirius turned sharply and got on a major road. James had no idea where they were going.
"Where'd you get Muggle money?" James shouted over the roar of the bike.
"Your parents owled me some!" Sirius shouted back. "I didn't tell them what it was for, but I promised to pay them back!" James laughed; his parents never could resist Sirius asking for things. Sirius accelerated, going even faster than they were before.
"Sirius! Slow down!" James ordered. Sirius cackled wildly and accelerated even more.
It wasn't long before the sirens started. James looked back and saw a car with blinding flashing lights speeding after them. "Shit," Sirius said. He wove in and out of traffic, trying to avoid him.
"Sirius!"
"We can't get caught, Prongs! We don't have licenses, or I.D.s, they can't find us in their system, we'd be arrested!" Sirius shouted. He took a sudden turn, almost throwing James off in the process. The cop wasn't fazed. He whipped his own Coventry Triumph after them, the car expertly handling the sudden drift.
"Sirius, we gotta think of something!"
"I know, I know! Gimme a minute!" Sirius aggressively turned down skinny alleyways, attempting to skirt the overzealous officer. James pulled out his wand and struck a nearby garbage can, forcing it to roll into the pathway of the car. The cop swerved rapidly and just barely missed it, clipping it on his fender as he went by. James cursed.
They kept going, the cold air stinging James' face as he watched the car behind them.
"FUCK!" Sirius swerved, and James looked forward to see what happened. A man on a broom, a flying broom, had flown out in front of them.
Shit. They must have seen James' curse. "Death Eaters?" James asked, shouting into Sirius ear.
"Must be!" Sirius said, gripping the handlebars as they slammed down the road. Two more cloaked men flew up on their brooms and flanked the police car, almost overtaking it. "Prongs! Do something!"
"What?"
"I don't know!"
James looked around. The first man had retreated, flying next to his companions behind the car. He suddenly had an idea. "Sirius stop!"
"Are you mad?"
"Trust me!" He yelled. Sirius slammed on his brakes. The cop heavily braked as well, trying not to crash into them.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" James shouted, lifting the police car above their heads. It hovered for a moment, then James jerked his wand, releasing towards the Death Eaters. Their pursuers crashed into it and James let the spell loose. The Death Eaters and the cop car crumpled to the ground, smacking into the cold pavement with a thud. "Go!"
"Nice one, James!" Sirius yelled, taking off once again. James laughed and held on tight as Sirius whipped down the road again. "We'll take the back way!"
James nodded, breathing heavily. "Why do you think there were Death Eaters just hanging out in London?"
"Don't know! Maybe they were planning an attack or something!" Sirius answered.
"Do you think they recognized us?"
"I do have an unforgettable face!" Sirius joked. James rolled his eyes.
They rode for what felt like ages. James kept his wand out, gripping it tightly, wary of anyone near them. They eventually made it back to Hogsmeade, though James had no idea how Sirius knew how to get back. They had been driving for hours. James' legs felt frozen to the seat. He was unsure how he'd make it back to the castle with how sore he was. They pulled up behind the Three Broomsticks and Rosemerta came out. "You're mad, Sirius Black. Absolutely mad," she said, shaking her head.
"Only mad for you, my love," he said, laughing.
She rolled her eyes. "Come on, you can pull it into the shed back here." Sirius obliged, pushing it against the snow on the ground into the tiny shed behind the bar. "What do you even need a motorcycle for?"
"Gonna make it fly, Rosie. It's so much more comfortable than a broom," he explained, giving it one last push and pulling out the kickstand so it didn't fall. She scoffed and headed back towards her bar, leaving the pair of them alone outside.
"Come on, let's get out of this bloody cold," Sirius suggested. James more than agreed. They lowered themselves into the tunnel and ran back up to the castle, their lungs burning as they sucked in the cold, morning air.
They made it back in the castle and James threw the cloak over them. They began their stunted walk back to Gryffindor tower. They moved slowly, as to keep their footsteps from echoing through the corridors like a drum. They reached the portrait hole and James pulled off the cloak. The Fat Lady was still asleep and Sirius coughed loudly, waking her up.
"It is awful early, gentlemen," she scolded. James looked at his watch. It was past five in the morning. They had been gone all night.
Sirius scoffed. "Yeah, whatever." He turned to face James. "Thanks, mate. Sorry I got us into trouble." He stuck out his hand and James took it, bending his arm to pull him into a hug.
"What's life without a little excitement, right?" He asked.
"Seriously, James. You're my best mate. Thank you for putting up with me," he said. James was about to respond but he was interrupted by the Fat Lady clearing her throat.
"Did you wake me up to witness your heart-to-heart, or did you need something?" She asked aggressively.
"Shut it, lady." He gave James one last clap on the shoulder before giving the password and stepping through the portrait hole.
"You best be getting to your dorm," the Fat Lady reminded. James made a face and threw his cloak back on before turning to continue his path.
He made it back to the Head's tower and stepped in. Lily was sitting on the couch, reading her Defense textbook. The fire was lit, heating the room and illuminating her face with dim light. She peered over the top over her book as he entered.
He came and sat down next to her, pulling her legs onto his lap and leaning back against the pillows. "Have you been waiting on me?"
"I went to bed a while back, but I woke up early when you didn't come back." She leaned over and kissed him lightly. "I'm glad you're okay, I was worried."
James smiled and pulled her closer. "You would not believe the night I've had."
"Sirius that good of a shag?" Lily asked, snickering.
"Lily, I'm saving myself for marriage!" James said in mock offense.
"What have we been doing? Just practicing?" She mocked sarcastically.
James gave her a smirk, and then recounted their entire night. Lily listened with rapt attention, her brows knit together.
"What was the speed limit?" She questioned.
"The what?"
Lily scoffed. "Nevermind. Sirius shouldn't be driving that motorcycle in Muggle areas. You two are going to get arrested, if you don't already get sent to Azkaban for what you did tonight."
"Nah, Sirius can talk himself out of anything, and I'm too pretty for prison." Lily gave him a look.
"Death Eaters, though. That's worrying. I wonder what they were doing," Lily said, looking up at James.
He ran his hand along the length of her leg. "I don't know."
Lily bit her cheek. "Guess we can't go anywhere without being on our guard."
"To be fair I think we'll be less conspicuous in the future," James said.
"You mean most of our excursions don't include throwing a police car into three Death Eaters? I'm shocked."
"Cheek, Evans."
"Hubris, Potter."