The Odd Couple: Chapter Three: Rude Awakenings, Literally
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Last time I did. The InvisibilityMachine2000, and the InvisibleStrap. And the plot. Now all I own is the plot. Dudes and dudettes who send me reviews, whether good or bad, though I haven't got any bad ones yet (forgive my modesty), know that I adore getting reviews. I freak out every time I check statistics. So thank you all. And, seller_of_dreams, Lily hates James at this point, for only one thing, but she isn't stupid to write for help and insult him.
Lily was having a wonderful dream. James Potter's Howler was screaming every swear word in the book at Petunia and finished with "And don't you ever again call Lily Evans a..."
"FREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Lily's eyes snapped open. She pulled on her bathrobe, rubbing her eyes. Her hair was a mess, and she had bags under her eyes. Knowing who Petunia was screaming at was easy. Only one person in this house went by this name. Lily.
She ran down the halls of 6 Magnolia Crescent until she reached Petunia's room and flung open the door. Petunia was on top of her bed, hopping up and down, looking at the floor like there was a rat there. All Lily could see was a small pile of ash and James Potter, smirking.
"Now, THAT'S what I call an entrance. You always have to overdo it, huh, James Potter?" Lily was now in her green top and silver jeans. Her hair was neatly parted and fell loose to her waist. The bags under her eyes were gone and Mrs. Evans was serving James a bowl of cereal and two slices of toast. James Potter was still smirking at Petunia across the kitchen table, and rules were in the Evans household, no name-calling at the table. So Petunia had to purse her lips and nibble on her pancakes.
"Yep." Said James, who began to imitate Petunia. Lily laughed. Petunia scowled. "So the Howler in my dream was real?" Lily asked. "Yep." James said, then he lowered his voice so only Lily could hear. "Dreaming about me already, Evans? Didn't think you were the fan club type." Lily realized she couldn't protest, or else she would sound extremely stupid. She, too, lowered her voice. "Remind me to slap you later." "Yep." Was all he said.
Petunia had gone to Vernon Dursley's house for the day. He was her overgrown boyfriend. It was lunchtime, and Mrs. Evans handed them a picnic basket and a blanket. "You two need some privacy to discuss whatever it is. Why are you here, James?" "Ask Lily." Unable to tell her mother, Lily took the picnic basket and the blanket in one hand and pulled James by the wrist with the other.
"You know, she has a point. What were you talking about?" James was helping her smooth the blanket down, and was unloading the picnic basket, looking at some of the fine crystal goblets that Mrs. Evans had packed.
"I know you're an Animagus." He dropped the goblet, his face full of shock. Mrs. Evans saw it out the window. She rushed out, cleaned it up, and rushed back in.
A bit of uncomfortable silence, which was broken by none other than James Potter. "How do you know?" "I read the Animagi chapter for McGonagall. I'm always studying on the grounds, y'know. Once, I was felt cooped up in the Common Room. I went out, into the cool night. Near Hagrid's hut, I saw a stag, a dog and a rat. I got closer, and I remember thinking they looked familiar. But they were near Hagrid's place, so I figured they were just some of his. But reading the Animagi chapter, I know more. Who are the dog and the rat?" Lily finished with a deep sigh. "Sirius is Padfoot. I'm Prongs, and Peter is Wormtail." "And Remus? I know he's involved." "Remus is a, well, you know how he's always sick and visiting his grandmother?" "Yes. I would have asked him, but figured he would have vomited on his grandmother, or something like that." Lily was toying with another crystal goblet, giving a fake laugh. James took the goblet out of her hands and put it in the basket.
"Remus is a werewolf."
That was the last thing Lily could remember before blacking out. The next thing that happened, at least in Lily's memory, was James lightly slapping her face. "He's a what?!?!?" Instantly popped out of her mouth. "This is a dream. My mother is lightly slapping me awake. This is a dream. You! You, you are not really here." She said, unable to contain herself.
"Okay. I'm a dream. I admit it. And since I'm a dream, I can do this." Before she blacked out again, Lily remembered only one thing.
James Potter was kissing her.