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Dear James,

It was nice to see you. Did I tell you that I've been offered the job of the British Youth Representative to the Wizengamot for this year? It'll stand me in good stead for getting into the political track of the Ministry after graduation. Head Boy and Girl letters should be arriving any day, now. I bet Lily gets it. And maybe Remus. They're sensible. Anyways, I hope your summer's been good. My mum's getting more and more worried about me going back to Hogwarts. She wants to leave the country but I hope my dad will be able to talk her down.

I've also been seeing someone – he graduated in our fifth year. His name is Caradoc Dearborn. He was Head Boy actually. He's part of this new group that's against Voldemort, it's called the Order but he refuses to tell me anything else.

All my best,

Lark

P.S. Did you and the boys put the Squid in the Slytherin Common Room? I heard a rumour…


Dear Lily,

Honestly, I'm kind of glad to be going back soon. The quicker we can get out into the world, the better. You told me about an organization called the Order of the Phoenix last summer, and I just heard it mentioned again. D'you know anything more about it? It sounds very secretive. Hope you're well,

Best,

James


Dear James,

Me too – our Defence Professor was actually good! Hopefully he stays… Professor Hawthorne taught proper duelling and everything. I don't want to be stuck with some frumpy Ministry witch. The Order of the Phoenix… I remember that. Marlene mentioned it. Her mum was a part of it, apparently. I don't really know much about it at all. I guess we'll have to find out more, yeah?

Sincerely,

Lily


Dear Lark,

That's amazing about getting the BYR post! That'll look really good on your record. Yeah, I guess they will be. There's every chance that you'll get it, you know. I'm sure your mum will let you go back to Hogwarts, it's your last year, after all. Mary MacDonald's dad didn't want her going back either.

Yeah, I know Caradoc. He used to be on the Quidditch team. He's a good bloke. I've heard of the Order – it's very secretive. Marlene McKinnon's mum is a part of it. I think it's run by Dumbledore.

Hope you're well,

James


Dear Lily,

Sorry about not answering your owls. My parents want to take me on holiday with them but I think I'm going to stay. I don't really want to go back to Hogwarts. It reminds me of her, silly as it is. I really miss her. I visit her mum sometimes, and I visited the cemetery once but it didn't feel like anything. I felt like an idiot, just staring at these slabs of stone.

Anyways, I've been working at Ollivander's which is interesting, but it doesn't feel as magical as it did. I dunno why. Maybe it's like Christmas – it fades as you get older. Ignore me. I'm being stupid.

Anna


Dear Anna,

Don't worry about it. You're welcome to come stay with me while they're gone, y'know. If you don't want to be by yourself. You have friends who love you. You did meet her at Hogwarts – it makes sense. But a lot of things happened at Hogwarts. I'm so sorry you're hurting. If you do want to come stay with me, I got my Apparition test. I can Side-Along you, if you want. It's odd to be able to use magic out of school, isn't it?

Hopefully things liven up at Ollivander's once the firsties come to buy wands. They're so sweet at first – I'm sure you'll have fun. Cami asked me to tell you that she bought you a book on American wandlore, and she's bringing you samples of all the cores they use. Some are quite peculiar sounding. Please come stay with me? Miss you.

Love,

Lily


Dear Lily,

Have you heard anything about Head Boy and Girl yet? I'm sure that you'll get it. How's your summer been? I'm staying with James and his house is very loud. Every so often things explode. I'm not quite sure whether it's purposeful explosions or not. I had a letter from Mary the other day – she mentioned that her dad might not let her go back to Hogwarts.

Peter has finally admitted to eating all the biscuits and he bought a big sack of new ones from the shop down the road. Now Sirius is eating them all. Hope you're having a good summer.

Remus


Dear Remus,

I haven't actually. James told me that Lark told him that Caradoc Dearborn told her that you normally get the letters in the last week of vacation. We have a bit of time, I suppose. Mine's been fine – I think Anna's coming to stay with me. Hopefully. That does sound like James. Are they… damaging explosions? Mary told me that too, but I'm sure he'll let her go back. It is her last year, after all.

Peter is truly terrible. You'll just have to put aside your own box of biscuits.

Lily


Dear Lily,

Greta wants to stay in America. She says it's not as hard to ignore the magic, here, but she also met a Muggle girl named Sofia, who I think is part of the reason. Sofia knows about magic – she has a Muggleborn brother, so Greta can talk to her about that. They're planning a trip down to Mexico. My mum says Greta can stay – she is eighteen, after all, so she's an adult in the Muggle world. It'll be weird not to have her around though.

Did you get your booklist? I guess Professor Tallhart is staying – I saw 'Compendium of the Next Dimension Volume 2' on it. I dunno about Professor Hawthorne though. I hope he stays.

Anyways, I hope you're all well! Lots of love,

xoxo

Cami


Dear Cami,

Wow, that'll be quite a change, won't it? How's Ben, the boy you mentioned in your last letter? Will you be sad to say good bye? It's good that Greta's found somewhere where she's happy, I suppose. And someone who understands her. We all need that, don't we? I did get my booklist – I quite liked Professor Tallhart – for a Divination professor. She wasn't as misty as some of them. Professor Hawthorne was good too. Did you hear about Minister Hartford getting attacked? It happened on Saturday, she's got a contingent of Aurors for protection now. She's not exactly doing anything but I suppose the Death Eaters viewed her as a threat.

I've been hearing a lot of rumours about the Order of the Phoenix – remember when Marlene told us about it last summer? D'you know anything about it? I'm rather curious now. What's it like in America, regarding Voldemort? Is it like when Grindelwald was sweeping through Europe but not the rest of the world? Or is it bad over there as well? See you soon.

Love,

Lily


Dear Lily,

Are you going to Diagon Alley this week? I was going to go on Tuesday if you want to go together. It would be like old times. I haven't seen you in a few days.

Sev


Dear Sev,

I'm afraid I can't make it on Tuesday – how about Wednesday?

Lily


Dear Lily,

Sure, Wednesday would be fine. See you then, yeah?

Sev


Dear Lily,

I'll see you on Tuesday for lunch, right? And that Muggle thing you were talking about – what's it called? Moovlie? Something peculiar like that. Looking forward to seeing you,

James


Dear James,

It's 'movie'. And I'll see you on Tuesday.

Lily


Dear Lily,

Merlin I haven't talked to you in an age. My summer's been very busy – I've had a job at the Leaky Caldron and I've been meeting all sorts of strange people. I think I met a vampire yesterday, but he could've just been awfully pale. I'm going to tell people I met a vampire though. Are you still talking to Snape? Has James found out?

Kisses,

Marlene


Dear Marlene,

Did he ask for a Bloody Mary? I'm still talking to Sev, yes, and James doesn't know. Not that it's any of his business.

Love,

Lily


Dear James,

I've been practising Quidditch all summer. Gideon taught me the Starfish-and-Stick yesterday and I only fell off my broom once. D'you know when you're going to hold try outs? I want to go in for Chaser – Felicity Davis left last year, didn't she? How's your summer been? Mine's been alright. I went to the Muggle zoo again, with Gideon, and I didn't talk to any Muggles about Switching Spells.

Hope you're doing well,

Fabian


Dear Fabian,

Good job on getting the Starfish-and-Stick, that's a tricky move. It's a good thing your brother can do Cushioning Charms. I don't know – I'll have to see when I can book the pitch. Yeah, Felicity left last year so her spot's open. I guess we'll have to see how you do. My summer's been fine – bit boring since you two left. Peter and Sirius are plotting a party of some sort so I'll probably see you then. Excellent, you really should try to avoid conversations like that. Maybe one day we'll be able to tell Muggles who we are, but that day's a long way off.

James


YOU GOT HEAD BOY? JAMES WHAT THE HELL.

Lily


Dear Lily,

Apparently? I dunno what Dumbledore was thinking. I mean it makes sense with you, but I'm not even a Prefect. Sirius is sure it's a forgery and Remus keeps charming it to 'reveal its secrets'. Peter just won't stop laughing. Congratulations by the way. I suppose this means you can't put me in detention anymore?

Sincerely,

James


Dear James,

This is surprising. Scratch that, this is shocking. You're going straight. Giving up a life of crime and misdeeds. Walking on the right side of the law. Small wonder Peter won't stop laughing. Congratulations though, you do deserve it. Really. You've changed a lot this past year. We both have, I think. And I've never put you in detention, prat.

Yours,

Lily


Dear James,

I heard you got Head Boy! Congratulations, you really deserve it. You'll be fantastic, you know. I heard Lily got Head Girl – say congratulations for me, will you? The two of you will be brilliant.

Love from Lark


Dear Lark…


Dear James,

I know I'm living with you currently but I felt like I ought to send you a letter to congratulate you. It seems like everyone's doing it these days, so I'm jumping on the bandwagon. Congratulations. If you ever try to dock points or give me a detention, I'll stab you with your own Head Boy pin. Clear?

Sincerely,

Padfoot


Dear Sirius,

Thank you for your… kind words. I appreciate them. And I believe threatening an authority is worth several detentions. I'll let it slide since we're on holiday this time.

Thanks again,

Prongs


Dear Anna,

Are you sure you don't want to stay with me? It's no trouble, really. We'd love to have you. Owl me whenever, yeah?

Love,

Lily


Dear Lily,

I'm sure. Thanks.

Anna


Dear Mary,

I'm worried about Anna. I haven't seen her all summer and all her letters are … sad. She seemed like she was doing better but I guess now she's at loose ends. She won't come and stay with me either. D'you have any ideas?

Lily


Dear Lily,

I'll go over there today. D'you want to come? I think it's time for an intervention…

Hugs,

Mary


Dear Lily,

Are we still on for Diagon Alley?

Sev


Dear Sev,

Definitely!

Lily


James, please just owl me back. It's not what it seems like – Sev's changed.

Lily


Lily


James, please. I miss talking to you…


Dear Lily,

Anna's doing a bit better, I think. I've told her I'm coming to stay with her, so I'll be able to keep an eye on her. She grumped around about it for a bit but I think she'll come round. Hope you're well.

Mary


Lily,

I know you used to be friends with him. I know you feel bad for him. But don't do this. He's not what you think and you're going to get hurt. Just leave him alone.

James


James,

It's none of your damn business who I'm friends with. If you can't accept that, fuck off.

Sincerely,

Lily


Dear Lily,

I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to sound like that. I just worry. About you, I mean. Can we talk?

James


James, my house, tomorrow, 6 o'clock.


James Apparated over to the Evans's house, still enjoying the novelty being able to zap himself anywhere he wanted to go. Lily's house hadn't changed. It was painted the same pale blue as last summer and gauzy white curtains were floating in the warm breeze. And in the front lawn, Lily sat on a checked blanket with a picnic basket sitting next to her.

She looked up as he stepped closer and pointed at a spot on the blanket, eyes narrowed slightly.

"Sit" Lily ordered. James sat.

There was a light sprinkle of freckles on her nose that hadn't been there the last time he saw her, and her dark red hair was shot with gold.

"Hi" he said nervously. He'd really made her angry, he could tell. Her mouth was one firm hard line, and her green eyes were cold even in the warm light of the candle she'd lit.

The thing was; he was angry too. He and Snape had been enemies since practically their first day at Hogwarts, and even though James had done all sorts of terrible stuff to him, Snape had done awful things too. That fight in their fifth year, when he cursed James with that spell that sliced his chest open and wouldn't stop bleeding. The time when he waited until James was alone before hexing him so badly he could barely walk. And of course, when he called Lily a Mudblood. But, James reminded himself, that wasn't his fight.

"I made muffins" she said, instead of returning his greeting, and she opened the basket. James was handed a muffin and he took it awkwardly.

Lily went back to staring at him silently.

"Why?" he asked her.

She lifted an eyebrow.

"Snape" James clarified. "Why are you talking to him?"

"He stood up for us. He risked a lot"

"For you. So you would forgive him. He didn't do it because it was the right thing; he did it so you would come running back to him. And it worked"

Lily's eyes flashed and darkened. "But" she said delicately. "That's really none of your business. We're friends, James. You don't have any claim on me"

"Of course not" James said exasperatedly. "No one can own you Lily, what the hell. But I'm allowed to be worried, aren't I? Or is that none of my business too?"

Lily picked up her glass of lemonade and took a sip, scowling at him.

"Sure. Be worried. Just don't ask me to stop seeing him to ease your concern"

James squeezed the muffin he was still holding in frustration and Lily's mouth quirked up.

"Goddamnit" he said. "He supports Voldemort. He called you – he called you-"

"A Mudblood" Lily said calmly, and James exploded.

"Yeah. He called you a Mudblood. He told the whole school what he thinks of you, Lily, and what he thinks is that you're less. That you're not worth anything. He doesn't respect you – he just thinks you're beautiful, but he doesn't care about you Lily! Just – stop, ok?"

Lily was looking down at her hands. "Please go" she said in a very small voice.

James's heart sank. He would've given anything to have her on her feet, spitting back at him, angry and wild, but not this. She sounded broken.

"Alright" he said quietly. "Alright, I'll go"


A.N. Ooooh... Please don't hate me? Thanks for reading!