Chapter Twenty-Two: Their Wills Their Law

Lily had not gone more than two steps before an odd feeling came over her and she stopped dead.

James was a Marauder. He had an Invisibility Cloak, of all things, that he owed her for not gossiping about. And, perhaps more to the point…

She could not imagine that he would want her expelled from Hogwarts. She could not say the same of Lupin, whom she was after all blackmailing.

"James," she said, wheeling around, "I need a favour."

He raised an eyebrow. "For you? Always."

She dropped into the chair opposite him. "I need to see one of my sisters. But it has to be done soon, and there are no Hogsmeade trips until February. You're a Marauder. So I was wondering... if..."

"If I'd help you get there?" he finished sardonically.

She flushed under the light mockery of his gaze. "Well. Yes."

Smirking, he leaned back in his chair, balancing it on two legs. "Lily Black asking me for an illegal favour… whoever thought I'd live to see the day?"

"Shut up," she muttered, although his mirth made her lips curve. "Will you help me or not?"

He leaned forward. There was something shrewd and calculating in his eyes; Lily wondered why it failed to put her on edge. "Alright," he said. "On one condition: you tutor me in Charms."

She stared. "You want a tutor for Charms?"

"It's my worst subject," he explained. "Flitwick says if I want to carry on my chosen career path, I need an Outstanding in the NEWTs."

"Just something for the Ministry. So, do we have a deal?"

"Yes," she said, reaching out to shake his outstretched hand. His palm was big and warm. She pulled back hastily and stood up.

His tone became business-like. "When are you going to see her?"

"I'll make it this Friday," she said. "Night-time would be easier, wouldn't it?"

"Definitely. Is there an arranged meeting place yet?"

"I was thinking the Hog's Head?" she suggested cautiously, but he shook his head.

"The Three Broomsticks would be better. Nobody would bat an eye at Andromeda being in there, but everyone knows she's been blasted off the family tree. She wouldn't be caught dead in the Hog's Head."

"Fine," Lily said, impressed despite herself at his reasoning. "I see you're quite the expert at this."

"All those years of rule-breaking were just practice for this," he said with a straight face. She burst out laughing. It hadn't been that funny, and wouldn't have sounded so coming from anyone else, but somehow – when it was James Potter – she was still fighting a smile for minutes afterward.

"At eleven p.m. on Friday, meet me by the statue of the one-eyed witch," he said. "I'll get you to Hogsmeade from there. Alright?"

"Yes, thank you," she said. Then she fled before things could get any stranger.

In response to Lily's note, Andromeda sent one back agreeing to midnight at the Three Broomsticks. Lily spent the time until then on tenterhooks – half certain she would be caught and punished, nervous of how she would be received, and lastly trying to ignore the twist in her stomach whenever she caught James's eye. Inexplicably, this seemed to be happening more and more lately. With Sirius's dramatic departure she now worked with Bones and Byron in Potions, but it seemed that every time she looked up James was looking back.

She had always known he watched her. But she had never before watched back.

At ten forty-five on Friday night, Lily slipped soundlessly out of bed and zipped up her boots.

"Good luck," Marlene hissed. "Wake me up when you get back!"

"I will," Lily whispered back. She drew her hooded cloak over her distinctive hair and tiptoed down the staircase.

The fire burned merrily in the grate, illuminating the empty common room. She carefully swung the Fat Lady outwards and jumped down. Even having come only a few feet, her heart was pounding.

God, how did the Marauders do it night after night?

Barely breathing, Lily crept towards the statue of the one-eyed witch. There was a close call where she had to press back into the shadows to avoid Mrs Norris, but it passed safely. At the thought of how she was avoiding her former ally, Lily felt hysterical laughter rising up. Biting it back took effort.

The area around the statue was empty.

"James?" she breathed. Damnit, where was he? "James!"

"Hush now, I'm here," he muttered into her ear. "Under the Cloak. Come on."

Light-headed with relief, Lily turned slightly so he could drape the shimmering material over her. His hand snaked past her to tap his wand tip against the statue's hump. Before her astonished eyes, a part of it slid away to expose a gap big enough for her to crawl into.

"So that's where it is!" she whispered. "No wonder I was always finding you boys around this statue."

"Sirius thought you'd figure it out ages ago, to be honest," James admitted. "Now go on in."

She ducked out from beneath the Cloak and wiggled into the gap. "Lumos," she murmured. The passage yawned before her, dark and narrow.

"Where does this lead to?" she asked over her shoulder.

"The cellar in Honeydukes, next door to the Three Broomsticks," came the reply. "Hurry up or you'll be late!"

Acknowledging it, Lily began to shuffle along. She was forced to bend slightly, but thankfully the passage was short, and she soon emerged into a room full of boxes. This was the cellar.

"Wait here for me," James said. "I need to disable the Anti-Break-in Charm."

She nodded. He disappeared up a flight of steps that presumably led to the actual shop.

Lily spent the time staring around the cellar, trying not to think about the nerves boiling in her stomach. What was she doing? Had she taken leave of her senses? Andy would be well within her rights to sneer and turn –

"You can come up now," James said, his voice echoing. Lily shook her head to clear it and followed him up. Honeydukes was dark and filled with the ghostly shapes of shelves; she was glad to jump over the glittering threads of the disabled Anti-Break-in Charm and walk into the brightly lit pub next door.

She saw Andromeda immediately.

Her second-oldest sister was leaning at a table against the wall, nursing a Butterbeer. Her straight black hair, long-lashed grey eyes and sharply elegant face testified to her Black heritage: in fact, her resemblance to Bellatrix was often noted. But the ring on her finger belonged to a Muggleborn. And her stomach was rounded enough that –

"You're pregnant?" Lily gasped.

Andromeda looked up.

AN: Feeling a little ill today, so I may not be able to get the next chapter ready in time for an update tonight. Really sorry about that!

B, Ellie, other guest reviewers - thank you all so much for taking the time to review.