Lily woke up the next morning in her bed utterly exhausted. It had been nearly one AM by the time she apparated home, and nearly two by the time she got to sleep.
She rolled over and rubbed her eyes before she realized her makeup was still on. Great. That would be a mess to clean off.
Just as she was about to get up her door slammed open.
"Ugh. what racoon attacked you?" Petunia leaned against the door frame
"What do you want, Petunia?"
"Vernon is coming over later. We're having dinner. Be ready by five."
"Five o'clock? Did you age sixty years overnight?"
"Haha wow you're so funny," Petunia made a face that only added to her peaky features "just be ready by five and see if mom needs any help."
"Why can't you do it? It's your dinner."
"Because i'm a terrible cook." she said like it was an accomplishment and walked out of the room without shutting the door. Lily would have been mad about the excuse, but it was true. Petunia really was a terrible cook. Great at baking, though. Lily would have gladly traded. It was a horrible curse to not just be able to whip up professional-tasting cookies whenever you pleased.
Lily rolled out of bed and thought about the horror that was sure to be that night's dinner. Then she had an idea. It would piss Petunia off, but that was half the fun.
She ran to her desk and pulled out a piece of notebook paper and a pencil. That's right. Now that she was out of hogwarts she was saying goodbye to writing everything with a quill and ink like some sort of wealthy widow having an affair with the man that mowed her lawn and telling anyone who works listen about her late, great Harold.
James,
Lily wrote, wondering if this was such a good idea.
My sister is inviting her horrid, horrid boyfriend vernon over for dinner and i cannot suffer alone. Please? Please come. This isn't even an option. You have to. Be here at five. Please? Did i say please yet?
You better come,
Lily
She ran over to her owl with the letter. It wasn't exactly Dickens, but oh well. She unlocked the large bird cage and tied the letter to his leg. She opened the window and tried to shoo him out. He did not look happy to be awoken so early, but flew off all the same.
Lily slammed the window after him and huffed down on her bed to wait for a reply.
James woke to something tapping on his window repeatedly. Why? Why couldn't whatever the hell it was just let him sleep.
He opened his eyes to see lily's owl fluttering outside it angrily. He crossed over to the window, stepping over Sirius's still-sleeping form. Lucky bastard.
"Come on in, then." he opened the window and the owl wasted no time in flying in and landing on his bookshelf. He ruffled his feathers angrily and nipped James's finger when he untied the letter from the bird's leg.
"Quit it, you prick!" james whispered angrily. The owl only motioned as if he was going to attack, and looked pleased when James flinched.
James glared at it before unfolding the hastily written letter.
James,
My sister is inviting her horrid, horrid boyfriend vernon over for dinner and i cannot suffer alone. Please? Please come. This isn't even an option. You have to. Be here at five. Please? Did i say please yet?
You better come,
Lily
James sighed. One of the only times he had met Lily's family was when he had to stay with lily at the hospital. He wondered what they would be like under normal circumstances. He guessed he would find out tonight. It was sure to be awkward, but James couldn't say no to a pleading Lily. he would never tell her that, but it was true.
James stepped over Sirius, who was beginning to stir in annoyance, and reached his desk. He dipped his quill in ink and began to scribble a reply.
Lily,
You expect me to short-notice drop everything and just come to your house for dinner to talk to some fat bloke because you don't want to? Yeah.
be there at five,
James
"Siriuuuus," he flopped down next to sirius on the floor, who had been refusing a bed since he moved in "helppp me."
"No." Sirius covered his head with his pillow
"Pleassse."
He looked out from under his pillow for a minute and looked as he was considering. Then,
"No."
"Why nooot."
"Because it's early, James. And early is the time where we all lay our little heads down and get some ruddy sleep."
"Nooo, you're thinking of the night time."
"No, James, i'm not."
"I think you are."
Sirius dramatically threw himself under his pillow again. Wait for it…
"Ugh!" Sirius sat up "well, now i'm awake." James just grinned at him. Worked every time.
"Ugh, bugger off, you prick!" he hit James with his pillow and James's laugh rang through the room "it's not funny."
"It's kind of funny." he got out before the pillow smacked him in the side of the head again.
…[...[]...]...
James stood on the Evan's family porch at exactly four fifty-eight that afternoon. He raised his fist to knock on the door when it swung open and Lily stumbled out.
"Thank god you're here." she shut it behind her
"Uh, Lily, aren't we supposed to be on the other side of that door?"
"No. i mean- yes. But i don't want to yet. Vernon has been here all of three minutes and he's already begun talking about the 'sodding chap i fired earlier after the biggest drill mistake this side of the country's ever seen!'" she did a horrible imitation of what must have been Petunia's boyfriend.
"It's really that bad?"
"Oh you'll see."
"I won't if you don't let me in."
"Oh yeah. That." she grabbed the doorknob then turned back around to face him "so, mum knows you're coming, but Petunia and Vernon have no idea- okay let's go shall we!" and with that he had no choice but to follow her into the quaint house that smelled of tomato sauce and flowers.
Lily led him past the living room, where he had to smile at all the pictures of a younger lily, and into the kitchen.
Mrs. Evans was tossing an apron on top of the fridge and Petunia was carrying a dish into what must have been the dining room when she stopped dead.
"Really?" she sneered at James in a way that made him feel suddenly as if he was five and she was a scolding teacher "you brought him?"
"Petunia!" Mrs. Evans chided "it's lovely to have you, James."
"Are you sure it's no imposition?" he asked, already wanting to get away from a souring Petunia and a dark, chubby man that could only be described as grumpy.
"Not at all! If we can have Vernon over there's no reason we can't have you." she smiled warmly but it was cut off by Petunia
"I can think of a reason." she snubbed before grabbing a stack of napkins and disappearing into the next room. Mrs. Evans merely shook her head and followed her, taking a bowl of pasta with her.
"I'd say sorry about making you come, but I'd be more sorry if I hadn't." Lily turned to him. James just shook his head and suppressed a smile while the both of them went and took their spots at the dining room table.
The dinner was thoroughly awkward with spotty conversation that was halted completely by a loud, throat-clearing by Petunia.
"Vernon and i have something to say." Lily stiffened next to him "we planned for it to be a family announcement, but," she glared at James for the hundredth time that night "somebody else decided to join us. Either way." she straightened her back and took a deep breath "vernon and i are engaged."
Mrs. Evans looked shocked and Lily sputtered next to him
"W- what?"
"You heard didn't you? Unless you're stupid as well as a freak." James tensed with anger "we're engaged."
"Where's the ring?" Lily questioned
"Didn't want anyone to know before i got the chance to announce it. It's in my room."
"Where?"
"Dresser. Third draw down on the left."
"What's it look like?"
"Silver. Princess cut full carat diamond in the middle surrounded by two others. What you don't believe me?"
Lily simply looked at Petunia for a long time before sliding her chair back and walking completely out of the house with an dangerous calm. James didn't think twice before following her onto the porch. James took a seat on one of the steps and Lily ended up in the yard, pacing with restrained anger.
"Love, it's not the end of the world." he tried to console her
"You don't get it! He's- he's everything about Petunia that i don't like!"
"Come again?"
"Petunia used to be fun. we used to laugh together and play games and- and go to the cinema on weekends." she seated herself beside James with a sigh "she used to be my best friend."
"What happened."
"My magic began to appear and she got jealous. And she let that jealousy take over her until there was no room for me anymore. And now she has vernon, the grumpy, self-centered wanker that's everything about her i try to forget."
"Do you think he makes her happy?"
"I don't know… i think he does in his own, horrible way."
"Well then it's her choice isn't it?"
Lily could do nothing but nod. The two of them sat in silence for a bit.
"James?"
"Mhm?"
Lily took a deep breath "marry me."
James spun around to face her, expecting to see a smile or some sign, any hint, that she was joking, but there was none.
"What?"
"Marry me."
"Aren't i supposed to be the one asking you?"
"I think we're past all that, aren't we? Come on, James," she took his hand "marry me."
