Chapter Three

James looked at the girl who carried the heavy the stack of books around the ageing shop. Her face was lined with seriousness as she walked to the nearest shelf, her thin arms shaking with the pressure.

He knew who she was at a once, the fiery auburn hair was probably the biggest give away, but her tiny figure confirmed it. James was about to run over to her, to offer to help her. But then he caught sight of her eyes.

There had always been something different about Lily Evans eyes. It was one of the things he loved most about her. Now, they looked so full of pain caused a lump in James throat. Lily looked so heartbreakingly sad, her eyes were hazy instead of bright and they had dark circles around them giving away the sleepless nights she was having.

And then there were the smaller things, things that James noticed without even thinking about it. The way her shoulders slumped slightly, her footsteps were heavy and she didn't bounce when she walked. Lily had changed.

James frowned to himself as he watched her curiously. Wasn't she staying with her sister? For some reason James thought she looked as if she might have been working, but that didn't make sense. Lily shouldn't need to work.

Without realising how strange it looked, James stayed hidden in the shadows and waited for her to finish.

He watched her stack shelves with some guy who was talking to her animatedly. A surge of jealousy swept through James as he watched the guy talk with easy smiles, sometimes he wished that he could talk to Lily like that.

She answered him with smiles and laughter but none of it quite reached her eyes. There was something dark hidden beneath the surface. James had seen how devastated she had been at the funeral, he had assumed with time it would fade. Only if anything she looked worse now. A broken version of the girl she had been for the years previously.

The shops were closing soon, he didn't have to wait long. James planned to casually stroll along and pretend to bump into her, then talk to her to find out what was wrong. Just as Lily was getting ready to leave the boy asked something, James assumed he was asking her for a drink. His heart flipped when she shook her head and said something to laugh it off.

But instead of walking down the main street, she turned down a side-ally and disappeared. James blinked repeatedly wondering if he had imaged the pretty girl, as he edged closer he noticed that she had scurried down a corner and turned into a dark ally.

He kept his distance not wanting to scare her, James that he should stop. But his curiousity overpowered him. It was a short walk to an apothecary shop that looked like it hadn't seen a customer in years. Waiting in a small nook of an ally, James stood, watching for Lily to come out.

….

"I'm being serious!" James cried over the two Gryffindor's who were laughing slightly hysterically.

Poppy snorted shaking her head so that her dark brown hair flew around her. "James, this doesn't help you case with Lily. You were stalking her!"

He scowled his cheeks darkening, "That's not the point!"

Sirius swung an arm around Poppy as he laughed looking questioningly at James. "Come on Prongs, I thought I taught you better than that. You can't go stalking girls!"

"Are you forgetting something?! Lily is in some hell-hole that Death Eaters wouldn't even stay in. She is your friend Poppy, aren't you worried?" James snapped.

Poppy's face dropped, all humour draining from her face. "Of course I am worried James. She is a big girl, if she is staying there its because she wants to. Lily knows she can come to any of us if she needs us." Her tone was unnaturally cold as she glared at James before storming out the door.

A stab of guilt shot through James as he watched Poppy go, they rarely fought and it was horrid to argue with her. Now Sirius was looking at him with a sombre expression, when Sirius was serious about something, it was easy to tell you had gone too far.

He shook his head sighing, "Prongs, that was too far with Pops. I know you are annoyed at Lily or yourself for some damn reason but don't take it out on Pops."

James hung his head and followed Poppy out the door, which lead to the main staircase. He found her sitting by the top, staring through the long windows that over looked the spacious grounds of the manor. The sun had set long ago and the stars could be seen distantly in the night sky. It was Poppy's favourite pastime was gazing up at the stars.

"Don't bother apologising." Poppy said bluntly without looking at him. A small smile formed on James face, Poppy never bothered with apologies, it was a trait that didn't match her nature but complimented it. "What do you think we can do? She knows where we are. Its not like we can force her to come here."

Sirius appeared on the railing, leaning casually against frame. "Why not? Prongs will only mope around anyway until he sees her again. And we wouldn't want him getting arrested for stalking."

Poppy laughed shaking her head, "So instead we getting arrested for kidnap?"

"Precisely."

Exactly twenty minutes later the three stood outside of the shop in the pitch black. It was shut now, though there was a door that held stairs behind them leading to the upstairs apartment. The two boys were dressed in black clothing and balaclavas; having seen in on a muggle movie. Poppy was dressed in similar fashion but in addition wearing tight leather jeans and heeled boots.

"Damn Pops, you look smoking. You should wear that all the time." Sirius grinned cheekily, eyeing his friend appreciatively. With her frame and heels she was almost as tall as Sirius and in the small ally, he was having a hard time not staring at her figure constantly.

Poppy glanced back at him with a smug smile. "It would only end up with you in the hospital wing with a heart attack."

James hissed again punching Sirius in the arm. "Padfoot pay attention."

Pulling his eyes away from Poppy, Sirius glanced back at James smiling casually. "Lets go Romeo."

They crept towards the door, opening it with their wands and melting the small chain that latched the door to the frame. It worried James how easily someone could get into where Lily was staying. "Stop looking at my ass Sirius!" Poppy hissed turned around, Sirius merely grinned unabashed.

Lily sat on a small dresser staring out of the window, her expression heartbreakingly tragic. It made James' heart ache to look at her. Then Sirius and Poppy broke the moment by pushing past him and sneaking towards Lily.

It wasn't till Sirius put his hand over Lily's mouth she realised that she wasn't alone. The redhead immediately hit out at him, her wand still on the bed, but Poppy grabbed her arms stopping her from attack them.

"Grab her legs." Sirius grunted at James.

James ran over grabbing her legs off the chair, but she struggled making it arm to grip onto her. She screamed loudly but Poppy quickly muttered a silencing charm so as not to wake the owners.

"Get. Off. Me!" Lily yelled her eyes filling with fear at the masked intruders.

"Two, three, four, GO!" James yelled and they all turned on the stop, still gripping onto Lily.

Lily was pulled into a sickening spin that brought tears to her eyes, she never liked apparition at the best of the times and it seemed to be worse horizontal. Her three captors fell in a collapsed heap in what looked like an extremely large kitchen.

She jumped up struggling out of the arms of one of the men dressed in black. Lily ran towards one of the many doors but when she looked back she noticed the females mask had slipped down.

The girl had wide lips and high cheekbones, a strand of chestnut coloured hair fell into her face. "POPPY?!" Lily screamed staring at her friend in shock.

Poppy pulled off her mask, she grinned trying to look innocent. "Hello Lily."

Lily stared at the other two, her heart slowing down as she realised that it had been her friends. James and Sirius both pulled off their masks wearing equally guilty expressions.

"What's up Evans?" Sirius said calmly, flicking the hair out of his eyes.

"You kidnapped me!" Both James and Poppy winced at the tone of her shrill cries. Sirius kept his face passive as he got to his feet. "Some might say kidnap, others might say rescued. Its really just a matter of opinion Evans."

Lily gaped at him as if she couldn't quite believe what he was saying. Thankfully her response was interrupted by a red haired lady running into the room wearing a stormy expression.

"James Harold Potter! I do not expect to come home in the middle of the night from work to find you all out! With no explanation! I am very disappointed! That goes for you too Sirius and Poppy! You are both like my children therefore you will be punished as if you were!" Her hazel eyes flashed around the kitchen noticing there was an extra teenager from what she had first assumed.

Elizabeth Potter looked between her son and Lily, a small smile growing on her face. "You must be Lily Evans." She said in a softer tone as she walked over to Lily.

Surprised that the woman knew her name Lily held out her hand forcing a smile. "Yes I am, you must be Mrs Potter?" The older woman nodded taking her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Please call me Elizabeth."

But then her expression grew cold as she turned back to her son. "Although, I think it is highly unacceptable to bring Miss Evans here in the middle of the night. Not that any of this is your fault dear." She added smiling at Lily.

Lily huffed crossing her arms over her chest. "I am so sorry Mrs Potter, I would never have come here if I had a choice. I am sorry for the inconvenience, I will not intrude for a moment longer." She glared at the three others, then smiled quickly at Elizabeth.

"Of course not Lily, I insist that you stay with us as long as you want. I love the company in the house. What do you mean if you have a choice?" She added noticing Lily's wording.

Poppy and Sirius cringed as James started to stammer, "Well - Um, you see – Lily…She was… In an attic. We were saving her."

Lily rolled her eyes, "They kidnapped me." She said bluntly.

"They what?!"

Sirius cracked a grin and casually swung an arm around his best friends mother. "That sounds a lot worse than it was Mrs P."

Elizabeth glared at Sirius, she was almost a foot shorter than him but he winced and took his arm off her. "Will someone please explain why an earth you thought it would be alright to kidnap your classmate?!"

Lily turned around to face her friends with a matching expression on fierceness. "I would like to know the same thing."

If the situation had been different James would have been delight to have the two important redheads in the same room. However he wasn't quite sure whose glare was worse at the moment.

"Well James followed Lily and saw that she was living in this death-trap of an attic and he thought that she need saving. We were just helping." Poppy explained unhelpfully. Sirius put an arm over his face as he stifled a chuckle.

"YOU FOLLOWED ME?!" Everyone in the room cringed, and Elizabeth put an arm around Lily guiding her towards the living room. "Now Lily, I think you and I need to have a little talk before I yell at my sons. I am so terribly sorry that they have dragged you all the way out here. I think it is some misguided concern-" Her voice faded away as they left the kitchen.

James looked at Sirius and Poppy who were choking with laughter. "You are so dead Prongs."

He let out a groan putting his hands in his head, "That really doesn't help Padfoot." Poppy's giggles died down leaving her with a slightly anxious expression. "You don't think she will stay mad for long, right?"

There was something childlike in her fear, it struck a cord with Sirius. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt for what they had done, it could end up affecting her friendship with Lily. He smiled anyway shaking his head, "She couldn't stay mad at you Pops, but with Prongs and I, well it's a different story."

"I'm sure she will make up with James." Poppy glanced at James who nodded sadly, "But it really doesn't make a difference with you." She smirked at Sirius who slid an arm around her waist.

"That doesn't matter. I'm not looking to impress her." He stared at Poppy with so much intensity that James had to look away. He knew that neither Poppy or Sirius would admit it, but from the past month it was clear that something had always been there. They were more than just flirty friends, both had too much pride in their reputations for being popular with the opposite sex.

James knew why Poppy didn't date, it was a difficult subject, she had never stayed with a guy for more then a few weeks at a time. This had resulted in her leaving a trail of broken hearts.

A second passed and the moment had gone, Poppy pulled away forcing a smile. "I'm going to bed, see you guys in the morning." They both nodded and Sirius began to open cupboards looking for food.

"What was that about?" James asked, smirking slightly.

Sirius frowned raising his eyebrows, "What?"

"Come on, that was such a move. Your not trying to pull her, are you? I would hate to kick your ass."

"Your imagining things James." Sirius grinned shaking his head, "Not all of us stalk girls for fun. Poppy's a cool girl, and a friend. I'm not planning to sleep with her, I've got a long line waiting for me. Besides, even if I did. You couldn't kick my ass if you tried."

There was a pause as James reached over and thumped Sirius heavily on the back. "Ouch!"

…

The next morning James was amazed to see Lily sitting at the breakfast island, eating with his mother; having convinced himself that she had gone home immediately. She didn't look at him as he entered.

"Good morning Mum, morning Evans." He tried to sound relaxed but his mother must have noticed the strain in his voice as she winked at him. "Hello James."

Lily still ignored him as she finished her plate and smiled brightly at Elizabeth. "This was wonderful, thank you so much Mrs Potter."

"Thank you dear, I would love to take the compliment but we have a couple of house elves downstairs. I am sure they would love to hear it though. But please Lily, call me Elizabeth, Mrs Potter sounds like my mother-in-law." James gaped as Lily and his mother began to talk about something else, he was shocked that she was ignoring him in his own home.

"Now, I have to leave you kids, but your father and I will be home tonight. Have a lovely day, remember what I said last night Lily dear. And James, try not to stalk or kidnap any other girls." She kissed his cheek waving to Lily, it was only when Sirius started to laugh he noticed his friend in the doorway.

"Sirius, that includes you." She warned pointing a finger at him. But he merely grinned and pulled her into a hug, "Of course not Mrs. P, tell Mr. P get home quickly so we can have a match."

When she left the room Sirius joined Lily at the breakfast table, staring at her curiously. "Alright Evans?" Lily looked up at him for a moment before nodding with a polite smile. "Yes thanks Black, did you sleep well?"

Her words made Sirius crack a wide grin, it seemed to have the opposite affect on James who gaped at Evans. "Good, it was good." He eventually replied.

"Morning Lily." Poppy said brightly as she walked through the door, she sounded confident but her eyes shifted nervously.

Lily hesitated before saying brightly, "Good morning Poppy. How have you been?"

The two girls began to talk quickly, updating each other on what had happened since they last saw each other. Though that wasn't what surprised James, the strange thing was Sirius joining in with their conversation and Lily showed no signs of cursing him.

"Damn it." James swore under his breath, as he turned to leave the room, having no interest in a conversation he was clearly not a part of. He spent longer getting dressed than he would have usually, taking the time to try and think of an explanation for Lily.

He was heading back into the kitchen to seek out his friends when he discovered Lily in his second living room, holding a pot of floo powder. She seemed not to notice him until he said, "where are you going?"

Lily jumped around her expression slightly guilty, "Diagon Ally." She replied shortly, her tone hostile as she raised her eyebrows as if daring him to question her.

"Come on Evans don't be like this." James groaned running a hand through his already messy hair.

Her nose flared as she spun round to face him. "Be like what?! You followed and kidnapped me Potter!"

James swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, it was a hard situation to explain. "I was worried about you, its not right, you being on your own." He couldn't help but grimace at his choice of words, he sounded like such a sap.

Lily seemed to soften to them, her face draining of anger leaving only emptiness behind, "I know."

"You do?!"

A sad smile swept across her face as she nodded for confirmation. "Your mum may have helped with that. Potter, you need to know that you cannot go around kidnapping people because it's in their best interests. You have to listen to what they actually want, it's not just about you."

"I'm sorry." Two little words, he barely said them at all. Perhaps that was why Lily stopped, when James Potter apologised it was only when he truly regretted something, she had only heard him say it once before.

Lily nodded again and chuckled the handful of floopowder into the flames, lighting them an emerald green. "Your still going?" James asked, convinced he had persuaded Lily to stay.

"I need to sort some thing's out Potter."

James sighed. "Just let me help you."

She paused slightly. "Okay, lets go."

...

Sirius groaned from behind the couch were they were hiding, Poppy on the other hand grinned widely pumping her fist in the air. "I can't believe he apologised." Sirius grunted holding out the chocolates they had bet on.

"I can, its cause James loves Lily." She sang popping one into her mouth, moaning for affect. Sirius eyed her with a small smirk handing her another to see if she would make the same noise.

Sadly for Sirius she ate it quietly. "He doesn't. Our Prongs is merely infatuated with her."

Poppy moved her head to one side watching him, "Still, I'm surprised that Lily let him help her pack up."

"That's cause not even Lily can resist the Marauder charm." He chuckled stealing a chocolate from her hand, She pulled away rolling her eyes, "Your charm is nothing compared to mine Sirius Black."

For once he was at a loss of what to say, so he laughed and changed the subject. There was something about Poppy, something that always made him loss his train of thought. "Do you know how to be an astronaut?"

Poppy swatted his arm and leaded back against the sofa, "Sirius! Its astronomer, not astronaut." He knew this, of course he did. "And yes, I've been talking to professor who specialises in it. He thinks he will be able to get me an interning position."

"That's great Pops." He replied honestly making her smile sweetly, her lips spotted with chocolate. Sirius wondered if she would taste of chocolate.

She nodded slipping him another sweet. "What about you? Any plans for when the Marauders break up?" Sirius laughed shaking his head. "Silly girl, Marauders are for life. Not backing out. As for leaving Hogwarts yes, I'm thinking about completely cutting ties with the Blacks and become an Auror with Prongs. Mr P recons that if we keep our grades up, we can make it."

Poppy watched him carefully, she knew that his families attitude towards him affected him more than he was ever going to admit. "Nice, I think you will be good at that. Fighting Slytherins for a living, maybe I should consider it."

"We really would be best friends forever then." Sirius grinned stealing yet another chocolate. A surge of sickness flared through him at the thought of his friend in so much danger, putting him of the sugary sweet. So he gave it back to her with a flirty wink. "Forever and ever." She added tilting her head so it rested on his shoulder.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Poppy said in a voice that sounded far to relaxed. "They introduced me to my future husband." Sirius closed his eyes internally wincing, knowing how upset she must be, but he put on a brave face wanting to cheer her up.

"Is he hotter than me?" She giggled avoiding his answer by saying in a strained voice, "Its Arun Diggory."

Sirius bit his lip wrapping his arm around her waist. "Is he the brother of that Ravenclaw idiot from a few years ago, Amos?"

She nodded her head silently. "Merlin that's crazy, he is what five years older?"

"Six."

"Shit. That's crazy." Poppy blinked rapidly trying to hide her tears and Sirius had the audacity to look away. "Sometimes I wish I wasn't a pureblood. The others don't know how lucky they have it."

He silently agreed with her. Although Poppy's family were the complete opposite of his own, they still had some old fashioned beliefs. They were friendly enough to their daughter's muggle-born friends but the idea of their children marrying into a none pure-blood family was disastrous. This was why they carried on the tradition of arranged marriages. Mr and Mrs May wanted to carry on the Ravenclaw Heritage without diluting it further. They had always treated Sirius like an extra son but they never gave the same warmth that the Potter family had.

"Did they say that you would be dishonoured if you went against them?" He checked.

"In not so many words."

"Come on Pops, lets go swimming. And put on that red bikini. Show off that nice ass." He stood up changing the subject to take it off both their minds, knowing that if he thought about it for too long, he would end up getting into an argument with her family.

He dodged the hand that was aimed for his head, but she entwined it was his, a wordless gratitude. As far as Sirius knew, he and James were the only ones that knew about her arranged marriage. They would ever understand, even James didn't to an extent, his family were known as the 'modern pure-bloods' who didn't enforce traditions onto the younger generations. But Sirius understood. Sirius understood because he had an arranged marriage too.