THAT'LL BE THE DAY

"What are we doing?" James asked from his seat at the island. He looked tired, but the sparkle in his amber eyes had not dimmed. His injuries had healed mostly, but Lily could still see a scar on his cheekbone and she had noticed that he moved slower than usual- something that had earned quite a few jokes from Sirius about being an old man.

"Making cocoa." Lily smiled, adding chocolate to the milk on the stove. "You're supposed to be reviewing my ideas for the project. What about the dragon-fry and asp wing mix? I thought that would make a good potion base for a youth elixir."

"I feel like most everyone will be doing a youth elixir. What about a transfiguration potion? I'm pretty skilled with that field." James shuffled the papers, flicking his eyes towards Lily's back every once in a while. She looked lovely today, dressed in a pretty grey skirt and a thick, red and blue sweater. Her hair was pinned in a bun that curled at the nape of her neck.

"Are you sure?" She asked, turning around to face him and stir the mixture.

"Yes. The other potions have to be supporting our final one, correct?" James asked, jotting down notes.

"Yes."

"Alright, I have three advanced potions that we can use. Plus, Polyjuice. That one's pretty advanced, innit?"

"I suppose…"

"What do you mean, you suppose?"

"It's just that… I brewed Polyjuice when I was a first year."

"That's funny," He drawled, resting his chin in his hand.

"I'm telling the truth."

"Polyjuice? In First Year? Why?"

"Oh, um, Slughorn let Snape and I do it in the lab one day." Lily looked down at the cocoa she was pouring. She added peppermint to the thick liquid and scooped dollops of creamy whipped cream onto it. She rifled through the cabinets for peppermint sticks and sprinkled crushed peppermint on the whipped cream. "Here you are," She said, setting the large mug on the table in front of James.

"Thank you."

She sat across from him, licking the rim of her cup where a bit of cocoa had dripped down.

"So, Polyjuice in First Year. I should never underestimate you." He looked hesitantly at the cocoa, as if it secretly was Polyjuice.

"I didn't poison it."

"I literally just said I should never underestimate you."

"That's right."

James took a sip of the cocoa and groaned. "This is amazing. Like, really, truly amazing."

"Thanks," Lily said quickly. She stared out the veranda doors, where their large oak tree was losing its leaves. Her face turned sentimental, almost as if she was remembering something from another lifetime.

"Evans, everything alright?"

"Are you feeling better?"

"What?"

"Are you in any sort of life-threatening pain?"

"No…"

"Then let's go to Hogsmeade."

"What?" James sputtered, setting down his mug.

"Let's go to Hogsmeade. It's a Saturday, so we could just walk down and visit, go shopping, and get something to eat at Three Broomsticks."

"Are you asking me on a date, Evans?"

"What? No, of course not. Just- I'm bored. Come on, please?"

"Um, okay. Do you need to get ready or something?"

"No, I'm ready. Finish your cocoa and then we can go!" She hopped up from her seat, a smile spreading across her freckled face, and pranced over to the coat rack. She pulled on a charcoal peacoat, brown boots, and a Gryffindor hat and scarf set.

James finished the cocoa and grabbed his coat and wand. "Ready?" He asked, grinning.

"Let's go!"

They ran down the stairs and out of the castle, laughing, and hurried down the hill towards Hogsmeade. It was a chilly October morning and the trees had frosted tips and icy leaves. A breeze blew, rattling the leaves and trees and making everything eerie.

"Why the sudden burst of spontaneity?" James shouted to her as she ran down the hill, arms spread out behind her.

"I wanted fish and chips!" She yelled, still smiling. He chuckled and followed behind her, hands stuffed deep in his pockets.

They reached the entrance to Hogsmeade, cheeks rosy and noses touched by Jack Frost- James had learned that any degree of cold turned Lily's nose bright red.

Students roamed the town, wrapped in heavy coats and scarves and mittens, and arms full of gifts and treats. The whole town hummed with the feeling of autumn, and Lily was unbelievably happy. She loved autumn, ever since she was little and she hadn't known what her favorite season was. Tuney had asked, "Lily-flower? What's your favorite season? Mine's spring!"

"I don't know," Lily had replied, pouted.

"Your's should be autumn! Your hair looks prettiest against the leaves!"

Autumn had since been Lily's favorite time of year.

"Why are you so happy?" James asked. He loved to see her this happy, free of stress and troubles.

"Is my happiness bothering you?" Lily asked, frowning. She stood in front of him, hands on her hips.

"No, just wondering."

"Hm. I need to go to Honeydukes, are you coming?"

"Sure."

The two Head Students wandered into the hustle and bustle of the town, breathing in the crisp air. A Gryffindor First Year saw James and hurried over and started talking a mile a minute about Quidditch. James tried to keep up, but he sent Lily a look of desperation.

"You're Miles, aren't you, love?" Lily asked, leaning down to meet the boy's eye.

"Yes," The boy responded. His scarf nearly reached the ground and Lily couldn't help but sweep it over his shoulder.

"Miles, we're very sorry, but Potter and I have to make it to a lunch reservation, though I'm sure Potter would love to talk Quidditch some other time." Lily winked at the boy who nodded vigorously and ran back towards his friends.

"You couldn't've just gotten me out of that? You had to set me up at a later date?" James complained, following Lily towards Honeydukes.

"The boy's in love with you! If I have to deal with Linda Greer then you can deal with a sweet little First Year."

"Everything's gotta be fair with you, doesn't it?"

"Shut up, Potter." She smirked and entered Honeydukes, and the little bell above the door dropped edible confetti over her head. James shook his head in awe of this funny, beautiful, witty girl ahead of him.

"Lily! Lovely Lily!" Elle cried from across the store. She pushed through the crowd, her blonde hair streaked with blinding blue feathers. Her hands were wrinkly and her fingernails were long and sharp, shaped like talons.

"Elle! What on earth did you do?" Lily said, grasping her friend's shoulders.

"Experiment gone wrong. It'll be fine."

"Are you certain?"

"...Yes."

"Elle!"

"Okay, okay! I'm only like eighty percent it'll be fine, but I'm sure it'll be fine!"

"You better go see Madam Pomfrey."

"I will, later." Elle stuffed her hands in her pockets and James tried not to laugh when he saw red and blue feathers under her sleeve.

"Elle, do they have any more chocolate frogs?"

"I think so, yes… Say, did you two come in together?"

"Yes, we walked down from the Heads Dorm together." Lily sorted through a cabinet stocked with chocolate goods.

"Blimey," Elle whispered, shaking her head.

"Elle, save me a sugar quill, will you please?" Lily had noticed that Elle was carrying the entire stock of sugar quills.

"I will. Meet at Three Broomsticks at one?"

"I suppose!"

Elle left the shop, but not before looking suspiciously at James who stood close to Lily.

Lily hummed softly before gathering a few boxes of the candy into a bag and turning. She smacked into James's chest, gasping in surprise.

"Prat! Why were you standing so close to me?" She asked when she realized his hands held her shoulders tightly. She could see all the different colors in his eyes and he smelled of cinnamon and-

"Sorry! I was just grabbing these," He held up a box of Cockroach Clusters before dropping them into her bag.

"I'm not paying for those."

"I'm not asking you too."

They marched towards the register where Mrs. Wickham from the Treats Trolley on the train stood waiting. She smiled, the wrinkles around her cloudy blue eyes lifting.

"How may I help you this afternoon, students?" She had a thick accent, something Eastern European maybe.

"Just these for me, please." Lily slid the boxes of chocolate across the counter. She purchased the candy and told James she'd wait outside for him.

"It seems as though you have a dilemma, Mr. Potter," Mrs. Wickham mused as she watched Lily walk away.

"Excuse me?" He asked.

"You are in love with her, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry?"

"These are Love Puffs. Don't worry, they aren't potions or anything, they just happen to be Miss Evans's favorite sweet. I only carry them every once in a while and I always save her one, but I think you should give this to her." She brought out a plate of round cakes with delicate, frosty icing.

"Oh, Mrs. Wickham-"

"Free of charge." She set the tiny pink cake in a box on a nest of spun sugar and sealed the box with a spell.

"Here you are, Mr. Potter. Have a nice day." She smiled again and James nodded, turning to leave. Right before he exited the shop, he looked back at the old woman but she was nowhere to be found.

"I'm legally changing my name!" Dorcas said loudly as she slid into the booth beside Lily. James sat across from her awkwardly, for they were waiting for the rest of their friends to show up. Lily ignored her friend, she was busy staring at James's hair.

"Lily!" Dorcas shouted.

"Whatever are you talking about?" Lily asked, hiding her embarrassment by taking a hurried sip of her butterbeer.

"I'm changing my name."

"Why? What's wrong with it?"

"'Dorcas' is rubbish. All it's going to get me are bloody ridiculous nicknames."

"Hey! My nicknames aren't ridiculous! Dork suits you!"

"Shut it, Potter! So… what do you think of Rebecca?"

"Dorcas, I really think the name Dorcas suits you. It really is a pretty name."

"What she means is no one in their right mind is going to call you that," Marlene said, slipping into the seat. She brushed her hair away from her face and set her beaded bag on Dorcas's lap. She smiled up at Sirius who had come in behind her and sat next to James. He looked tidier than usual, his hair pushed behind his ears and wearing a maroon sweater under his jacket.

"You really think so?" Dorcas said sadly, dropping into her hands.

"Dork, have you seen Remus?"

Dorcas turned vaguely red. "What? No, why would I have seen him?"

"I just thought you might've," Sirius said. He shrugged and raised his hand. Madam Rosmerta nodded and skirted around the tables, carrying two large trays of food and levitating another two.

"What can I get for you?" She asked boredly. One of the trays smashed down onto a nearby table.

The students ordered, Sirius laying on the charm thick when he ordered an extra meal.

"You owe me, Black. I'm going to have a food shortage with you lot running around here."

"And Rosie, love, can we get some firewhiskey over here?" Sirius winked.

"Nice try, Black. You really think I'm going to let a bunch of Hogwarts students order alcohol? McGonagall would have my license!" Rosmerta left the table, dropping her trays at different tables on her way back to the bar.

"Good thing I brought my own," Sirius grumbled. He slid a flask from his breast pocket, but the innkeeper waved her wand and the flask flew from his hand, spilling liquid on Professor Flitwick's head.

"Not in my inn, Black!"

Sirius groaned, but got over it quickly when Marlene pushed her butterbeer towards him.

"None of you have seen Remus or Peter?" He asked, looking around quizzically.

"Honestly, you'd think Remus was your girlfriend, not me!" Marlene said. She crossed her arms and turned her head away from him.

"Oh, love, don't be mad." He reached across the table and touched her cheek.

"Ugh! Don't get all lovey-dovey on us please!" Dorcas gagged.

"I'm here! Don't worry, I'm here!" Elle said, looking flushed. Her hands had nearly returned to their former glory, though her hair was still streaked with feathers.

"Ellie-bell, you've got feathers in your hair!" Marlene said, frowning. She plucked at one and Elle shrieked.

"They're attached, you barmy git!" Elle smacked her hand aside and patted at her feathers. She pulled over a chair and sat primly, looking expectantly at the group.

"Well, don't you want to know where I was?"

"Are you going to tell us anyway?"

"Yes. I was meeting a… friend."

"A friend, eh? One that didn't mind your feathers? I find that hard to believe," Sirius remarked. Dorcas chuckled before straightening up when she saw Elle's face.

"Tell us about this 'friend', Ellie-belle," Marlene said, reaching for her friend's hand.

"His name is Xenophilius. I met him this summer while I was travelling in Australia. It turned out that he lives around here- he never attended Hogwarts- and, well, one thing led to another."

"So you're saying that he's not a friend, he's more than a friend," Dorcas said.

"Wait, wait, Xeno Lovegood? The lunatic who lives behind the Weasley place?" Sirius asked.

"He's not a lunatic!"

"But it is him, innit?"

"Yes. He's very charming."

"If by charming you mean nutty then sure."

"Sirius!" Marlene scolded.

At that moment, Lily let out a loud laugh which she attempted to cover with her hand.

"Something funny, Lily?" Elle asked defensively, glaring at the giggling girl.

"No, not you, Ellie, I swear."

"She's just discovered that I'm actually quite funny, Elfy," James said, chuckling a bit.

"I'm really sorry, Elle. What were you saying?" Lily asked, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin.

"No, no. It really isn't important. I'm only getting married. Please, as you were."

"What?! You're getting married?!" Dorcas shouted.

"Oh, blimey, Peter's going to be heartbroken," Sirius said.

"Oh, really, Elle? That's wonderful news, darling. Congratulations." Marlene squeezed Elle's hand.

"I figured if he likes me with talons then he's the right one for me."

"That's brilliant, Ellie! I'm really happy for you!" Lily said.

"Thank you. Now, I'm really quite hungry, has anyone got any food?"

"Rosie! Elle's getting married, we should get some drinks!" Sirius shouted.

"You really don't give up, do you?"

"Not until I get the answer I want!"

"Fine!" Rosie dropped shots of firewhisky on the table.

"On the house, perhaps?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, shut up and drink your firewhisky!"

That night when Lily returned to her room, there was a small white box on her bed covers. When she opened it, she found a tiny pink love puff- her favorite type of dessert. She smiled, knowing it must've been the work of James.

HEY!

I know I 'borrowed' the Lovegood idea from somewhere... but I don't know where so thanks to whoever! Comments are amazing!