an: Happy Sunday!

I hope you're all having a nice day, and that the weather is good where you are! It decided to snow here, so that's terrible. I don't think it has ever snowed on my birthday before, amazing.

Hope you enjoy!

James met Lily at her office at five, with a large box of chocolates and a small bouquet of flowers.

She greeted him with a large smile. "Aren't you a sight," She said, going straight for the box of chocolate. Once the lid was off, she inhaled deeply, "And you smell divine,"

James laughed at her, "I knew you were talking to the chocolate."

"You should have," Lily agreed, picking up one of the pieces and stuffing it into her mouth. It had a caramel center and she was in love.

"I'm stealing you for a date tonight." Lily hummed and tilted her head to the side, looking at James now.

"I'm not sure that that's how you ask someone on a date." She said, grabbing a second chocolate.

"I brought you chocolate and flowers, I didn't do a terrible job." James reminded her, reaching out to take a chocolate for himself. She allowed it, though he looked as though he expected her to close the lid on his hand. He popped it in his mouth.

"Alright, I suppose it was pretty good. I'll go out with you- or allow you to steal me."

"Good." He grinned, and then he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. She smiled against his mouth, her own still full of chocolate.

"What are we doing?"

"It's a surprise."

"No," Lily shook her head. "I think you should just tell me what we're doing."

"Well, we're not leaving the castle, but that's all I'm going to tell you."

"I didn't think we were going to leave the castle, so that's not really telling me anything."

"We can leave the castle." James raised his brow. "We're allowed to."

"Sure," Lily nodded. "But this close to the wedding, I doubt that we'd get far out in public."

James nodded, "Which is why I set up our date in the castle."

"Which I assumed, so I'd like a new piece of information."

"No. You're going to be surprised."

"You've already surprised me with flowers and chocolate."

"Well then you're extra lucky and get two surprises this evening. Besides, I owed you chocolate from our bet about Sirius and Reggie, so you were expecting those."

"Are you sure I shouldn't go have dinner with my new best friends?"

James looked at her. "That's it. I didn't want to have to do this, but I'm telling Mary."

"You wouldn't."

"I don't think you're leaving me with any other choice, Lily."

She linked her arm through his, "But she could do something mean to me."

"Like cover your bed in a teen pop sensation?"

"Don't call Justin a teen pop sensation." Lily shook her head. "But yes! She might!"

"He was-"

"I know. We're not going to get into my dislike for Justin Bieber or how forgiving society is to white boys." She shook her head.

"Alright, that's probably for the best seeing as how I'm trying to set the tone of the evening a bit more lighthearted than discussing centuries of systemic racism and sexism."

"Speaking of, I had to talk to Rosier and Malfoy today. They decided to have a joint meeting with me so that they could discuss their more private concerns with how my impropriety is ruining the crown's reputation."

"I wish you could fire them." James said.

"Me to, but that wouldn't be very democratic." She sighed, "Though neither is our current federal system."

"My mum did talk to me after her meeting with you this morning."

"Yes? Did she also tell you that we're best friends?"

He rolled his eyes. "She told me that she's very excited about the changes that you want to make. She thinks that you are going to be a great leader. A champion for young women everywhere, I think that was how she phrased it."

Lily felt her stomach clench. "I'm not sure I'm so comfortable with that title."

James chuckled. "Well, mum doesn't hand out titles like that to just anyone. So I'd take it if I were you."

Lily shook her head and unlinked their arms so she could open the box of chocolates.

"Lily?"

She shook her head. "You were right when you said we shouldn't get into all this now. We're going on a date, let's go back to you telling me about that."

"I wasn't telling you about that. What's wrong?"

She bit down on her tongue. She couldn't be a champion for young women. She'd like to be, but she couldn't. Not when she was letting a body of old men force her to get married before she took the throne because they didn't believe that women should be allowed to rule on their own. "Nothing is wrong. That's just a big compliment and I'm not sure I fit into it."

"Sure you do," James was still looking at her sideways as they continued down the corridor.

"Okay," She shrugged, taking another chocolate.

"Well now I know something is wrong. You're not going to argue the point?"

"No." Lily shook her head.

James stopped walking and took her by the arm. "Is it me? Am I the reason you can't accept my mum's compliment?"

Lily's shoulders dropped. "Well I caved to their archaic rules, didn't I? That's not something a champion would do! Instead of sticking to my guns and proving that I'm more than capable of doing this on my own, I folded and accepted that this is just how things are."

"They were going to give the crown to Bertram, Lily." He said, putting a hand on her arm. "You tried to get the law overturned, but you can't do it on your own and they weren't ready to let go of it yet."

"I know."

"And you can enact big change-"

"I know," She interrupted. "And I think I made the right choice, but I still don't feel great about it when I think about it for too long." She tucked her hair back. "I think about all the women that I've looked up to, and all the times they refused to bend, and I can't help but feel like they would be disappointed in me."

"That's ridiculous." James shook his head. "Look at all the work you've already done, all the groundwork that you're setting up!"

"I know." She said quietly. "It's just something I'm going to have to sit with for a while."

"It has only been a few weeks."

"Exactly." She gave him a small smile. "Thanks for understanding that none of this was actually about you."

"Of course. It's Sirius's job to make everything about him, though I suppose you know that since he's your best friend now."

"He told me that he was excited about me being queen!" She smiled for real now, and very ready to change the subject. She didn't want to complain about the situation she was in, especially not when she was so lucky to be in the position she was in, that she was so lucky that James had turned out to be such a great partner in all of this. She wanted to just be grateful, but she also wanted things to be different. "He said that he's been watching me since my gran came and pulled me out of Cokesworth."

"Well, I'm glad."

"You don't sound all that glad."

"I am."

"Jim,"

"Lily Jane."

"I like my name, that doesn't work."

"You could at least pretend."

"I won't." Lily shook her head and bumped her arm against his. "Now, tell me, why did you choose these flowers?"

There was an alcove in the library, ensconced in stained glass that looked over the lake on the east side of the property. The lake was still frozen over, and the pine trees that surrounded it were capped in snow, and this was the setting James had chosen for their dinner date.

It was beautiful, and it felt like a real date, even though Lily had spent a lot of time in the library. Even in this particular alcove. But with the flowers he'd picked out for her because the blue had reminded him of the dress she'd worn to the State Dinner, sitting in the middle of the table, and James smiling at her from the other side, it didn't feel like she was just in the library. It felt special. It felt like home in a different sense.

Things were going very well for a little over an hour, they were flirting and smiling and holding hands and Arden was just about to bring out dessert when there was a crash and one of the bookshelves in the front of the room tipped over.

"What the hell?" Lily stood up, taking a step back to put the table between her and whatever just happened. James stepped toward the noise. "James,"

"Don't worry, princess!" That was Moody's voice and Lily relaxed, coming out from behind the table and rushing toward the crash with James.

"Moody, what happened?" Lily asked, looking at the scene before her. Moody had tackled some poor page who looked completely flustered and winded.

"I was looking over the security cameras that we've got outside you rooms, when I saw Arden carrying some trays. He told me that you two were in here having dinner, so I thought that I'd walk by to make sure that no one was here that shouldn't be." He stood up and pulled the page up by the scruff of his neck, he looked familiar. "I found him lurking in the hallway. So I watched him for a while. He waited until Arden had delivered your food and left before he snuck in, with this." He reached into the overturned shelf and pulled out a camera.

Lily looked at the camera and then looked to the page. Everything that Moody had said started to click into place.

She didn't even know the page's name.

"Why?" She asked quietly and James put his arm around her shoulders.

"Who is he?" James asked Moody.

"His name is Barty Crouch."

"As in-"

"The judge, yes. This is his son. Should have known it was you from the start," Moody shook his head and Barty smiled at him. "You're a snake, and the only reason you got a job here at all is because your dad wanted to give you a second chance. And you wasted it, for what?"

"For what? The people don't know the first thing about her! They all fawn over her but it's lies!" Barty spit. "She's not even from here and sh-"

"That's enough." Moody pulled him back and looked at Lily. "Don't listen to him, princess."

"I'm not the only one who doesn't think-"

"No, you're not. Luckily, it's not up to you," James interjected. "What you're doing is illegal and wrong." Lily hadn't heard this tone from James before and she gripped his arm tighter. His words weren't particularly potent, but his tone was biting and cold.

Barty didn't seem to notice. He started laughing and spewing more hate as Moody dragged him out of the room. "You're not going to get the crown! They're not going to let you have it! They're going to keep you off the throne! They don't care what they have to do!"

Lily felt like she was being doused in cold water.

When the door was closed and the room was quiet, James turned to look at her, but she couldn't take her eyes off of the door. Had that really just happened?

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Of course." She nodded. "He didn't touch me."

"That's not what I mean," James said quietly.

And then there were a dozen of Moody's men were walking into the room to usher James and Lily to a secure area, which was more protocol than necessary. It wasn't as thought someone had broken into the castle, Barty had already been here.

They were brought to the throne room, and the guards were posted at each of the doors. Soon Anita and Mary had joined them and Lily's quiet night with James had turned into a circus.

"What happened?" Mary asked, rushing over to Lily's side.

"Moody caught the mole. It was Barty Crouch Jr. We're here only because of protocol. Nothing happened." James' hand was on her back, rubbing small circles and then Anita was holding her hand and she realized she was shaking. They were reacting this way because she was shaking.

"He's been following me around the castle." She said quietly. "I knew that before, but I don't know, I thought they were using timers and cameras maybe? I didn't think that I was just not seeing- I mean he really didn't-" She shook her head and put her free hand over her mouth.

Nothing had happened, she would not cry about this. They were all being put in this room because of protocol, not because they were in danger.

"I don't want Bertram here anymore." Mary said. "I don't know what he'll do when he's kicked out on his arse, but I don't want him here anymore."

Anita nodded and Lily just stared at the floor. Did Bertram feel the same way that Barty did? Listening to him scream at her had made her feel unsafe in a way that she hadn't felt before. Had Bertram presented that same danger the entire time that he'd been staying in the castle? When she'd allowed herself to be alone with him.

What had Barty meant when he said they? Who wasn't going to let her have the crown?

Was there a plan in place to stop her? Past Bertram's games?

She clenched her hands at her side and tried to slow her breathing.

James' parents walked in, but he didn't leave her side. Sirius was close behind them. She locked eyes with him for a moment and he gave her a nod.

James quickly filled his parents and Sirius in on what had happened, and then they were all quiet and tense, waiting for Moody, for more information, for the all clear.

Lily let go of her gran's hand, wiped her hands on her skirt and then took a seat on the floor. Mary quickly sat down behind her, leaned against her back. Chairs were brought into the room, but only Anita took one. Monty started pacing, James and Mia sat on the floor, James keeping his hand on her. Her shoulder, her arm, her hand.

Sirius suggested that someone bring in a radio, but no one did.

He joined them on the floor after that and Monty took a seat next to Anita.

They were all quiet, everyone kept glancing at Lily like something terrible had just happened. She had to keep reminding herself that nothing had happened, because they were all acting like something had happened.

She let her head fall back against Mary's shoulder and Mary turned and kissed Lily's head. "He didn't knock over any good books, did he?" She asked quietly.

Lily gave her a smile and shook her head. "No. None of the good books." She didn't know this for certain of course, but it wasn't important, the talking was the important part.

"That's good," Mary nodded. "Because if he ruined our good books, I'd have to go and find him."

"When's the last time you read a book?"

"I've got more important things to do lately. What about you? Do you even know how to read?"

"No, that's why I had that tutor during uni. So they could read to me."

Mary snorted. "You and James were having a date?"

"Yeah," Lily sighed. "We didn't get dessert."

"Bastard. Who interrupts before dessert?"

"The antichrist."

"Probably not even him." Lily snorted.

It was a while still before Moody came in. Lily didn't bother to stand up when he walked in, but James, Sirius and Anita all got to their feet. Mary turned around so her chin was resting on Lily's shoulder. They both looked up at Moody.

"The castle is clear." He didn't look happy. He was a professional, someone who had worked for the royal family for decades, and served in intelligence gathering before that. Lily didn't blame him for this, but he probably blamed himself. "I didn't think there were any breaches in security, but I wanted to be sure. I am sorry that it interrupted your night."

He rubbed his hands over his face, and everyone remained silent. "He was working with Bertram. He didn't come out and say this of course, but when I let him know that I already knew that Bertram was working to get Lily out of the castle," She flinched, "He talked a bit more. He's a slimy sonofabitch." He looked at Anita and Mia. "Pardon my language, but he wanted to talk about it. He wanted to tell me how he'd been getting away with it for so long. He was so proud of himself. I don't think he was working with anyone else in the castle, but I'll be conducting interviews with my staff and the castle staff over the next few days."

"Thank you, Alastor," Anita nodded. "Did you learn any new information?"

He sighed again, "I don't think he knows anything that he didn't tell me, but no, I didn't learn anything new. I'm going to drive him down to the station so that I don't have to call the cops to come out here. Emma thought that would be best." Anita nodded. He looked at Lily and James. "We'll need to get statements from the two of you tonight. Since I was on the scene, I can't take your statements, so Kingsley will do it if that's alright."

Lily nodded. "What about Bertram?"

Moody nodded. "I'm going to have him escorted back to his uncle's house. I'd bring him in with me and Barty, but I'm afraid that if I charge him now-"

"But you said that Barty told you that he was working with him," Mary interrupted.

"He did, but he could be lying. Bertram will claim that he's lying. I need more evidence if I want to land a charge that will stick. Until then, we'll just let him know that he is no longer welcome at the castle."

Lily bit her tongue, but she knew that this plan wasn't going to work.

"He'll show up tomorrow." She said. "When parliament is in session, he'll show up." And who knew what he would say.

"I'll stand outside the door myself," Moody assured her. "I won't let him in."

"I'm not sure if that's legal."

"He broke his NDA," Mary said, and she sounded upset. Lily stood up, brushing her skirt off when she was on her feet.

"But we can't prove it."

"I can keep him from walking in." Sirius muttered, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Thank you," Lily grinned at him and then helped Mary up. "But I can't sanction that either."

"Well then pretend that you didn't hear me," Sirius said, and Mia tapped him on the arm, whether it was admonishing or not was debatable.

"I'll see what I can do," Moody said. "Kingsley is waiting in my office. I'll walk you two down there before I take Barty in. I should probably give Barty senior a call first. Just to give him a heads up."

"I think he'd appreciate that," Anita agreed. "I thought he was doing so well here."

"I thought so too," Moody shook his head. "There's something not right with him. It's a shame."

It was another couple of hours before Lily finally got back to her room. James had walked her, and she hadn't let go of his hand when she walked in, so he came in with her. She went to her closet and changed her clothes before coming back into the room and taking a seat on the edge of her bed. They had been quiet since they'd said goodnight to Kingsley.

James stood at the back of the couch and Lily pulled her legs up under her.

"Not quite how I'd planned for the night to go." James said, and he sounded tired. They'd been in the throne room for hours while the security staff had swept the entire castle, while they had waited for Moody.

"At least Moody caught him." Lily said, tugging at the sleeves of her jumper so that they covered her hands.

"Yes, I'm glad he was caught." James said, and Lily wasn't looking at him, but she could feel his gaze on her. He was worried about her, but she didn't say anything else. "Well, it's very late." He said, looking at the grandfather clock her gran had thought she might like. Apparently it had once been her fathers.

"It is late," Lily nodded, though she hadn't quite yet gasped that he was suggesting that he should leave so she could get some sleep before she had to go to work in the morning. "And I left my chocolate in the library."

James let out a huff of quiet laughter. "I'm sure Arden will find it and make sure that it gets back to you."

"Yes, but he'll probably eat a piece or two first, and I was saving the coconut ones."

"Are you gonna be alright?" He asked, pushing off the back of the couch. Her heart jumped a bit. She realized now that he was going to leave.

"Oh, yeah we should probably get to sleep." She looked at the clock again, this time actually paying attention to the hands. It was nearing one in the morning.

"I'll see you for breakfast though, yeah?"

Lily nodded, but didn't say anything.

He looked her over for a moment and then nodded. "Alright. Sleep well, love."

"You too," She tried to smile.

He turned and started toward the door. She pushed her feet back onto the floor and stood up. "Wait. James?"

He had almost reached the door. He turned around, brow raised.

"Will you stay with me?"

His eyes traced over her face, "Are you looking for a Hunger Games quote?"

She nodded.

"Always." Her chin started quivering and he crossed the room incredibly fast, pulling her tightly against his chest and she let herself cry. She didn't try to talk herself out of it, she didn't try to hold back the tears, she didn't apologize for it or try to stop as soon as she started, she just let James hold her while she cried. She let herself be afraid. She let herself be angry and hurt and confused and worried. She didn't try to explain herself.

She'd asked him for help, and he'd given it without hesitation, just as he'd been doing since she'd met him.

He held her and played with her hair and whispered comforting words into her ear. He didn't tell her she was overreacting, he didn't tell her that things could have been worse, he just let her cry.

When she was all cried out, she decided to take a quick shower. When she got out, James was somehow in pajamas now, and sitting on the end of her bed watching some show on Animal Planet.

"I asked Sirius to bring me something," He said, motioning to his clothes.

"What did he mean when he said they weren't going to let me take the throne? They? Who is they?"

James' hand went to his hair and he shrugged one of his shoulders. "I think he means Bertram and his uncle. Rosier probably."

"Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Burke, Rookwood, Lestrange; they all would love to see anyone else take the throne."

James nodded. "Probably."

Lily huffed.

"But there's nothing that they can do. We'll be married in a few days," His hand ran through his hair again and Lily's heart rate picked up. A few days? It was officially Wednesday now. She had a dress fitting tomorrow and then the wedding was on Saturday. "And after we're married," James pushed through, "There's nothing that they can legally do to prevent you from taking the throne."

"I know." Lily nodded. "They, whoever they include, have already broken the law though. And I don't think they're going to give in, just because Moody caught Barty."

"We can't plan for the unknown," He said, "But we'll figure it out together when it comes. Whatever it is."

Lily let out a deep breath through her nose and pinched at the hem of her jumper.

"We should get some sleep now."

"We should." She shuffled closer to him, still gripping her jumper, worrying it with her fingers. "Thank you for staying."

"Thank you for asking me to stay." He answered immediately. "I didn't want to go anywhere, but I didn't want to… impose." He stood up and turned off the tv as he walked around to the other side of the bed.

Lily pulled back her blankets. She didn't know why he was starting off so far away from her. She was definitely going to plant herself against his side as soon as they were both lying down.

But then he picked up a pillow instead of moving the blankets aside and stepped back. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Just borrowing a pillow," He grinned at her and then started for the couch.

Her shoulders dropped. She was sitting with the blankets covering her lap now, her hands folded in front of her and she watched him carry the pillow away from the bed and toward the couch.

At first she thought that he probably just didn't want to sleep in the bed with her. That he was uncomfortable with that.

But then she thought that maybe, since she hadn't stated very clearly that that's what she wanted, he had just assumed that she wouldn't be comfortable with it. And she was leaning toward this option. Maybe because it was so late and so much had happened today that she didn't have room in her brain to overthink things, but she was almost positive that all he was trying to do was be respectful.

Like when he said that he hadn't kissed her because he hadn't been sure if she was ready to kiss him yet.

"What's that look for?" James asked, narrowing her brow at her.

"The couch is rather small, James."

"It is not." He said, looking down at the couch.

She bit her tongue. "Well maybe not for one person, but there's no way we'll both fit on it comfortably."

He looked at her for a moment, his brow relaxing. He picked his pillow back up. "'Hey James, I'd like you to sleep in the bed with me.'" She smiled at him as he made his way back over to the bed. "Of course, Lily. All you had to do was say so."

"I would have joined you on the couch had you insisted staying over there."

He looked at her, and despite everything that happened, she found it very easy to smile at what she saw in his eyes. He climbed onto the bed and settled back against the pillows. Lily was still sitting up and looking at him. He laughed. "What now?"

"You're still rather far away." She jutted her chin out and turned toward her bedside table so she could turn out the lights.

"Terribly sorry," James laughed as the lights went out. It wasn't completely dark though, the moonlight coming in through the windows cast blue light on everything. She heard him shuffling under the blankets and she looked over to see him, without his glasses on, and in the middle of the bed. "Better?"

"Much better." She shuffled over the rest of the way and he opened his arm as she cozied up against his side. She threw one of her legs over his and rested her hand on his chest. "But this is even better." He laughed again and kissed the top of her head.

"Remember how last Thursday-"

"That was a whole week ago."

"Not quite, but still, I'm glad we're past the point where you ignore that you have feelings for me."

"I like you a whole bunch. Now stop making fun of me or I might change my mind."

"I don't really want to stop making fun of you."

"I'm sleeping."

"Then you can't hear me."

"Jim,"

"Lily,"

She pulled her head off his chest and look at him. His face was mainly shadows, but she could see his eyes and they were shining. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too,"

"Even though it was nearly impossible to get you i-" She stopped speaking abruptly and James started laughing.

"No, please, continue."

"No," Lily shook her head. "No, I'm just going to kiss you now."

James reached up and cupped her face. "I suppose that is an acceptable alternative."