The Marauding Five : Year Four

AN: Well, I have English project to do, too, Noelle, and it's worst luck that I kinda lost all my researches… congratulations on the basketball thing!!! I always lost the ball each time I play that :P and no, Adele hasn't known anything about Lily and James's pre-destined engagement. Not yet anyway. Anyhow, I don't think there's much to say left, except that I'm on holiday now J

bunny chan

Disclaimer: all that belongs to whoever is whoever's. There. All done.

The Marauding Five : Year Four

Chapter 5: Ularsta Nagita

'Huaah!!' James yawned, stretching in his bed and knocking his head sharply in the process. Muttering, he rubbed at the back of his head where a bruise was developing. Sitting up, he hit his head again. He whacked the four-poster bed hard before wincing at the pain it resulted in.

Must he still sleep in this stupid and ridiculously tiny bed? He's growing each day, as a teenager. He searched around for his wand and muttered a spell as he tapped on his bed. The bed now grew thrice in size. James smiled in satisfaction. In the next bed, a loud 'ow' cried out. A string of punishments and names were assigned to the bed and Sirius finally yelled detention, frightening everyone.

'Shut up, Si. It won't stop the bed from annoying by calling it a too-small-sized-giant-idiot,' Remus mumbled from his bed next to Sirius'.

'Hogsmeade weekend today. I wanna sleep in,' James mumbled.

'Hogsmeade!' Sirius cried, jumping up straight. This, of course, resulted to another long string of threats, insults, punishments and even an accuse of burning it to "death".

Dan grunted from his bed to ask Sirius to shut up.

'Ow… why always me?' Sirius said at last.

'You're not smart enough to enlarge it,' Remus said wisely.

'Hogsmeade, Hogsmeade,' James muttered sleepily as he tried to recall what is so important.

'Lower the decibels,' Thomas mumbled.

'Yeah…' Dan agreed.

'Why must I go to Hogsmeade?' James repeated to himself absently.

'Remus is showing us the you-know-what, remember?' Sirius said.

'Aha! Yeah! That's it!' James said. 'Uh, what?'

'Looks like the day isn't agreeing with you,' Remus said.

'Get the girls first,' James mumbled. Sirius looked at him as if he was told to not eat anything for the rest of his life. He climbed onto James' bed, followed by Remus.

'Are you out of your mind? Wake up a Psychic-Black Mage and a Black Mage? With pranks? We'll die before doing anything!' Sirius hissed.

'Well, I've got a way,' Remus said.

'How?'

Remus pulled out a couple of tissue and his wand.

'Let's go!' Remus said energetically, dragging James and Sirius as they sprinted off to the girls' dormitory. They bang the door open and Pertsy, who was dressing, shrieked loudly. Lily always had not much control of her powers when not awake, so needless to say, the boys got full blow of Lily's psychic barrier.

'See? I told you it was a bad idea!' Sirius yelled at Remus.

'How should I know that she'll attack when asleep?' Remus retorted.

'You know her for fourteen years, idiot!'

'I know that she can use that only when I'm 12! That makes only three years!'

'Four!'

'Three!'

'Four!'

'Three!'

'Four!'

'Three!'

'Four!'

'Three!'

'ENOUGH!!!' James yelled. Silence. 'Thank you.'

To Remus and Sirius' surprise, James went to sleep right there, right then.

'Pertsy, wake Lily up,' Sirius said to Pertsy.

'No! Don't!' Remus warned. Too late. Pertsy had shook Lily and in two blinks, the girl was blasted out of the room window on a flying pillow.

'Look! It's a bird!' Sirius said.

'It's a plane!' Remus said.

'It's a flying pillow!' they said in unison.

'HEEEEEEEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Pertsy shrieked, the pillow zooming at full speed. Sirius and Remus both pulled a binoculars each and looked at the flying pillow.

'Interesting,' Remus said.

'48602km per hour. Must be a record there,' Sirius whistled.

'And no gas needed, too. Lasts forever,' Remus added.

'Only a simple blast from Lily's Psychic and voila! A trip around the world!' Sirius said in awe.

'You two sounded so much like doing a commercial. Now let me sleep!' James mumbled. The two commercial-for-only-a-few-moments stared at each other before realizing their purpose to the girls' dormitory.

'Adele! Adele Celine Varens! Get up!!!' Remus called. Adele's sleepy face peeped through the curtains next to Lily's bed, which is nearby the window. Outside, Pertsy was still yelling for help and Adele looked at it with amusement.

'Oh, Remus. You know you're not allowed in here,' Adele said, finally tearing her eyes from the comical scene of Pertsy trying to keep to the pillow in control.

'We're always here,' Sirius said, rolling his eyes.

'Listen, get Lily up. She wouldn't let anyone near her but us, our parents and us,' Remus said.

'You said us twice,' Sirius said.

'Who cares? You don't get sane, do you? Go on, Adele, get her up,' Remus said. Adele rubbed a sleepy eye.

'And I don't get sane every other day; helloo!' Sirius said, rolling his eyes.

'Well, why don't you?' Adele asked.

'Lily formed a barrier here,' Sirius said sourly. Adele nodded and went to Lily's bed next to the window.

'Lily? Lily, Lily wake up,' Adele said softly, shaking the redhead. Lily didn't open an eye.

'Lemme sleep… I'm feeling dreadfully tired,' Lily mumbled softly, a pained look suddenly crossing her face.

'No use, she won't wake,' Adele said.

'Tell her that food's ready!' Remus called.

'Lily? There's a huge feast down there,' Adele said, shaking her friend again.

'I- I can't, Adele,' Lily mumbled softly. Adele stared.

'Lily? There're fifty over puddings, thirty types of ice-creams, sweets and cakes,' Adele tried again. Hah! That should do the trick! Lily'd jump at a chance for puddings, ice creams and sweets.

'Adele, no… tapestar mastera trousta…' Lily mumbled softly as the rest of what she was saying was voiceless. She kept on mumbling, however, and her wand suddenly shot into her hand as if Lily had used the summoning charm on it. Adele stared.

'Is everything alright? Why'd Lily need her wand anyway?' Remus said. Adele jumped off the bed and ran to the cage where Castria, Lily's Yumi, was sleeping in.

'Get James up. Quick!' Adele said breathlessly, Castria's cage in hand. It was rattling a little.

'We can't get in, idiot!' Sirius reminded. Adele concentrated and the invisible barrier gave a slight shimmer. Adele opened her eyes tiredly.

'You can now. Get James up now!!' Adele ordered.

'Aye, aye, Captain!' the two said instantly, sensing the urgency in her tone. James was awarded with a bucket of ice water and was wide-awake in two blinks. He looked at his friends atentively, knowing they surely had a reason for dumping a bucket of cold water on him.

'What?' James said.

'Adele's calling for you,' Sirius said. The boys rushed into the dorm and ran to Lily's bed. Castria was sitting on Lily's pillow and squeaking to her mistress.

'Oh, good! James, tell us what Castria's saying,' Adele said. James listened to the hamster-like creature hard.

'Why Castria?' Remus asked.

'Yumi know their owner very well. And Lily once told me that she's linked telepathically to almost all her things and pets, so Castria is bound to know even more,' Adele explained.

'Castria says that Lily's sick. Very sick. It seemed like a high fever and the Gappendix (a sort of infecting illness which gives it's victim a pale face) but it isn't. She couldn't make out the illness and said she was having a headache, too,' James said as calmly as he could but failed utterly. His voice was shaky and so was he.

'Oh heck, get her to the Infirmary! I can't help if I haven't a clue of what's happening!' Remus ordered.

A stretcher was magicked and a bag packing Lily's things were automatically done. The four rushed straight off to the Hospital Wing, much to the stares of some teachers and students since they were still in their pajamas. Most unfortunately for them, the Slytherin gang made their way up front.

'So, someone's sick, eh? Not a match now, are you?' Snape drawled.

'Yeah! You- you coward!' Pettigrew said as he tried to sneer. He looked like he'd been hitten silly.

'Shut up, git!' Adele hissed. With a glare and a beam, the Slytherins find themselves searching for the nearest men washroom or any source of water.

'Wait, let's make this easier. Since even Castria couldn't make out Lily's sickness, best is get Dumbledore. Remus? Sirius?' James said.

'Aye!' And the two turned to a painting and walked right into the green pasture.

'Not surprised?' James said to Adele.

'At first, yes, but not now. If even a Yumi couldn't tell what's wrong…' Adele said, dropping her voice.

'Remus should've known though. He could deal with almost everything Poppy can. His mom's a witch doctor,' James said, concerned. He looked worriedly at the girl lying on the stretcher.

'… You liked her, don't you?' Adele said, looking at his brown eyes.

'What?!'

'Lily.'

'Sirius or Remus said that again?'

'I don't know what you all are hiding, but you liked Lily, don't you?'

'Look, can this wait? Now's not the time,' James said, running up the stairs.

'Okay. But you know I wouldn't leave you at peace!' Adele grinned.

'Argh! This thing's so hard to control!' James gritted. He set it on the ground, much to Adele's amazement, and carried Lily in his arms. Seeing Adele's look on her face, he smiled. 'She isn't half as heavy as you are.'

'I resent that!' Adele retorted, running after him.

**

It seemed like hours before they finally reached the Infirmary. Adele yanked the door open, woke Madam Pomfrey and settled Lily's things on the bed where James laid the girl. Her face was contorted with pain and she kept muttering things under her breath.

Just as Pomfrey woke up, Sirius and Remus barged in with Dumbledore and McGonagall who was at the headmaster's at that time.

'We're back!' Remus panted, wiping the sweat off.

'What's wrong with her?' Dumbledore asked, looking at Lily. the girl now seemed as though she was petrified, but still mumbling unheard words. She was cold and stiff. Her skin was pale and her cheeks were red.

'She was this way this morning,' Sirius gasped.

'We didn't know what happened,' James said.

'And don't get too close to her or-' Adele tried to warn. Too late. Pomfrey just got levitated to the ceiling. 'Oops.'

'Get me down!!! Now!!!' Pomfrey yelled.

'Sorry Poppy. I couldn't. Only Lily can,' Adele said.

'What rubbish, Varens! Evans hadn't even had her wand!' McGonagall said.

'But-'

'Deflatus Diccendo!' McGonagall cried, pointing her wand at Pomfrey. An invisible barrier repelled the spell and the green beam burst into a hundred tiny little pieces. McGonagall stared in shock.

'Pick up that jaw, Minnie,' Remus instructed. McGonagall did so.

'How did that happen?' Dumbledore said.

'Remus, anyone, get a heavy object,' Sirius said, a mastermind forming in his miniature brain. A huge metal fell before them heavily, shaking the ground as it hit. 'Now tie it to Poppy.'

James made a lasso out of the rope and threw it neatly over Pomfrey's left foot. Slowly, they shrink the rope so that Pomfrey could half-float and half-stand to inspect Lily thoroughly. Adele cast a spell on Lily so that she couldn't give anyone a shock, but Lily's skin sort of repelled that by bursting everything into tiny pieces of glass. Pomfrey sighed.

'Look, I can check if you want,' Remus offered. Pomfrey nodded as she instructed the young doctor on what to check. Her pulse, temperature, pupils… everything. Finally, Remus sighed as his job was finished.

'So, how'd it go?' Pomfrey asked.

'She sweats a lot, although her temperature is cold. The cells were working at top speed and her blood's rushing very quickly. Her systems seemed somewhat corrupted and her mind must be pretty confused, with the pupils contracting,' Remus said. Pomfrey sat up at once and quickly jumped to the shelf and pulled out a big book before thumbing at it at top speed. She finally stopped at a page and shuddered.

'What is it, Poppy?' McGonagall asked.

'The- the Ularsta Nagita,' Pomfrey said shakily.

'The what?' everyone said at once.

'The Ularsta Nagita. The most dangerous illness ever known,' Pomfrey said, shakily pushing the book to them as if she'd seen her own death in it. They leaned over it.

'Known also as the Serpent's Fang, the most dangerous curse or illness – mostly the latter – that could ever attack a witch or wizard. It is common during the ancient times whereby wizards and witches all over practice this curse to horde off the Basilisk, a dangerous serpent that no longer existed. The curse had high effect on a young witch or wizard's body systems. Its symptoms are practically every symptom of all sorts of illness. The only way to cure it is… what?! The page's been ripped!' Adele exclaimed.

'And if this isn't cured by 48 hours, Lily Evans will be nothing but a history,' Pomfrey said dramatically.

'How did Lily come to get this? She hasn't been practicing ancient magic, has she?' Dumbledore said.

'No! I was with her all the time!' Adele said.

'Someone must've done that to her!' James said.

'The question is, who?' Remus said.

'Snape isn't that low, is he?' Sirius said pensively.

'If the Slytherin git even tried…' James gritted angrily.

'Well, he seemed glad,' Adele pointed out.

'Yes, but the Snape always have their own dignity, thus Severus Snape is out of question,' a new voice said. Everyone turned to the door and there, stood a girl with red hair reaching her ankles and calm, blazing green eyes.

'Lily! But- but you're-' James said, looking at the girl at the door and the one on the bed.

'Lily Trenna. Please to meet ya. Duh! Who else will I be anyway??' the figure exclaimed in the Lily-fashion.

'What?!' Dumbledore said.

'Nah! I'm Lily. Evans, course, so don't get me mixed with mom,' the luminous thing said. 'No, I'm not dead, don't worry.'

'Then…?' Sirius said.

'Like Poppy had said, I'm a victim of the Ularsta Nagita. So sorry Poppy. It's a good thing I made Adele learn beforehand.'

'What? Learn what?' Adele said flatly.

'That book! Don't tell me you still hadn't get her down?'

'I thought I can't. Yet. You… knew?'

'I do, yes, since I'm a Seer. This is a part of myself which I'd formed.'

'What? But how?' Remus asked.

'Ssh, Let her go on,' Dumbledore said.

'I was mumbling things just now, weren't I? That was a spell, to take some of my soul from my body so I can speak to you. I can't last long in this form, though, so worst luck.'

'Lily, who cast the ancient magic on you? I was with you all the time!' Adele said.

'Voldemort. He had been doing a small research on all five of us and found out that I'm connected in all ways to all sort of things,' Lily said quietly. 'When Adele tried to wake me up just now, Voldemort launched the spell. It got me, since I was unguarded that time, that's why I had no control over everything. Castria was confused, because she couldn't understand me. If I hadn't connected to her, she would…'

'How, Lily?' Dumbledore asked.

'I'm most close to my dreams. Anything could happen in there, thus, I must guard myself against it. the whole week I'd set up various spells over myself so as to prevent this. I guess it isn't working huh? First Pertsy yelled, setting the first one off. Next she tried waking me up. Went floating on the pillow, I must say. Lastly, when Adele tried to wake me up, Voldemort launched the spell,' Lily said.

'Lily? Can you please let me down?' Pomfrey called. The metal had now floated up with her.

'I'm sorry, but I can't in this form. Adele can. I knew she could. That's why I gave her lessons. She can let you down and won't harm herself, as she'd thought,' Lily chuckled.

'So… how d'you cure this?' Remus asked. Lily shimmered a little.

'I don't have much time now. The place of the antidote Voldemort hidden is;

Buried deep behind the golden key

Only shown at half past three…'

And with that, the luminous form disappeared.

'What? You still had the time to think of a rhyme?? For goodness' sake, how can we interpret it??' James, who had been silent through the appearance of Lily's soul, cried. 'Lily!!'

Follow the heart to answer your call

The first of clue is in the hall…

'What's that?' James said with a jerk.

'What's what?' Sirius asked.

'It's Lily!' James exclaimed. 'The hall!'

'What are you talking about? Lily's here! What hall?' Adele said.

James had dashed off at full speed to the hall.

'Poppy, let Lily stay here and see if she's getting better,' Dumbledore said. Pomfrey nodded.

**

James started looking all over the hall. What to look for, he didn't know, but Lily's voice kept ringing in his ears. The first clue to find Voldemort's hidden antidote must be the first line; "Follow the heart to answer your call" … in the hall? With so many students? You've got to be kidding!

'James!' Sirius called, running towards to him, Adele and Remus behind.

'What are you looking for?' Adele panted. They didn't get their answer, however, for James disappeared into the crowd.

'Follow your heart… Find that stupid thing, what else?' James stomped angrily at a nearby plant. The heart-shaped plant gave a shimmer and Lily's voice came again.

Plea for the closest of us five

The second's under a pumpkin hive…

This has definitely got nothing to do with the first line, thus, the clue's in the second, James told himself confidently. Pumpkin, pumpkin… now where do they keep the pumpkin?

Hagrid's Pumpkin Patch.

James sped off to the pumpkin patch as quick as he can and asked Hagrid for a permission to inspect the pumpkin patch.

'Sure yeh can, James! Go on!' Hagrid said good-naturedly to the boy. James thanked him and set off to find a pumpkin hive, whatever that was. He searched high and low, up and down but no pumpkin hive was found.

'What IS a pumpkin hive anyway? What the heck is it?' James asked himself out loud. 'When do bees and pumpkins cross anyway? Sure this isn't a joke?'

Just then, it clicked to him what it had meant. The day before, Lily had shown him a pumpkin in which the Grettal bees made their hive. He ran quickly to the lake where the pumpkin hive stood, alone and forlorn all by itself.

He peered in it, and an army of pumpkin-orange bees with enormous stings flew out angrily. The Grettal bees' army. James tried to shield himself from their stings, knowing that it'll be useless anyway. To his surprise, the huge stings fell and burst into a hundred pieces. Their weapon gone, the bees flew off angrily. James wondered at how he had managed to do that.

'Weird… oh well, can't be bothered. Accio, pumpkin hive!' James called. The pumpkin flew from its place and nearing James, it shimmered, just as the heart plant and the same echoing sound was heard again.

Turn to East, North then West

Answer to this to end the test

Listen to yourself, listen real hard

Tell a girl what's deep beneath your heart

Not one lie, only the truth

Say it tonight when the clock chimes two…

Blink.

What's this? It seemed like playing some sort of game.

Just then, the other Marauders ran out of the castle, gasping for air. James waved them over and they rushed over eagerly, to see if he'd found the antidote to Voldemort's curse on Lily. James handed Adele the pumpkin hive.

'What? This is the antidote??' the girl said.

'No! It's a – forget it, you wouldn't understand. Listen! Can you hear it?' James said.

'Uh…'

'Tell me! Can you hear it?'

'No.'

'Sirius?'

'No.'

'Remus?'

'Hear what?'

'Argh! Am I the only one then?' James cried.

'What did you hear?' Adele said.

'I…' Lily's voice came back.

Say not please, a single word

For she'll be dead by Voldemort's curse…

'Sorry, Lily doesn't want me to say,' James said, fearing Adele or Lily to die under Voldemort's curse.

'Lily? Where? Hulloooo? Liliiiii???' the trio started searching for Lily.

Why am I the only one who is able to listen to this? Should I really visit Lily in the Infirmary tonight? At two in the morning? I can say that mom forced me to… she probably would anyway, if she knew of this. Stupid engagement…

Ah well, I have a day to go before two tonight.

**

For the rest of the day, the Marauders waited to see if Lily's "illusion" or soul, as she call it, would appear again. For the rest of the day, Lily mumbled and muttered unheard things under her breath. For the rest of the day, James thought of what lies beneath his heart.

Night came way too fast for them as Pomfrey turned to shoo them off. Adele begged, pleaded, cried, yelled, and threw tantrums to stay with Lily for the night. James, Sirius and Remus tried convincing her and themselves that Lily would be okay alone.

'I can't let her be alone! Not at this time! She's like a sister to me! What is Voldemort get her? Now? What if the time span of 48 hours turn 24 hours in this modern days? Please, let me stay with her!' Adele begged, eyes welling up the tears.

'Adele! Lily's also like a sister to us! We mailed a letter to our families and our parents could be stomping in-' Sirius was cut by footsteps running up the stairs – 'any moment now.'

Boom!

Just as expected, four women bombed the door open.

'Poppy, is Lily alright?' Rose Evans said, rushing to her daughter's side.

'She needs some rest before I can find the right antidote. I'd never dealt with this before, Rose,' Pomfrey said sadly.

'James, I request you to stay with her tonight,' Yvonne Potter's calm voice said.

'Me again?' James moaned.

'Yes, you. Who else?' Melissa Black grinned.

'Me mom? Me?' Sirius said, jumping.

'You go back to your dorm with Remus.'

'Aww…'

'Me then?' Adele said.

'You, too, dear.'

'I'm not "dear". It's Adele.'

Anne Lupin entered the room with a medical kit. She plopped next to Lily and asked Adele to give her some space so she could investigate.

'Who's Adele?' Anne said absently.

'Her. The fifth Marauder, completing the worst of your nightmares,' Remus grinned, pointing at the raven-haired girl. All eyes turned to her at once, and for a moment, their faces were drained off their healthy color, as if it really was their nightmare.

'Adele Green?!' Yvonne cried at once.

'But it couldn't be her! She's dead! Hasta la vista!' Melissa said with a shock.

'But- but that's her!' Rose whispered. 'Is time playing tricks with me?'

'It couldn't be!' Anne said.

'That's Adele Varens,' Sirius pointed out. Rose jerked to look at the Marauders and her daughter, lying on the bed. Was her mind really playing tricks with her in this dead of night? It seemed as if time had gone back and memories of the days before flooded back to her clearly. Adele Green, Lily Trenna, James Chore, Sirius Brad and Remus Pepper. She gulped.

'Kids? Maybe it's better if you go back first, Poppy, you too,' she choked. The four Marauders and the matron went off. Quietly, they left the infirmary and the four mothers turned to the window at once.

Five pearl-white figures floated gracefully in, each resembling Lily, Adele, James, Sirius and Remus.

'Hello Rose. It's been some time. In fact, it's been a long time,' a soft echo of Lily Trenna said.

'Lily…'

'Your daughter looked very much like me, doesn't she?' Trenna giggled. 'No doubt, huh? We're the only redheads in school besides you. Green eyes, hair till our ankles… not many has that. You hair isn't that long either. Only shoulder length.'

'All your kids all looked like us!' James Chore laughed. 'Hey! We'd reincarnated into them!'

'But you've been reincarnated! Why are your souls still here?' Yvonne asked. As a rule, when you're reincarnated, your soul is put into a new life and the memories and all will be removed. Thus, there'll be no ghosts for reincarnated people, since they have no more soul.

'We didn't know. We "woke" up today,' Remus Pepper said sullenly. 'I see that boy's a werewolf too, isn't he, Remus Lupin?'

'He got bitten, just as you did when you were four,' Anne said. 'If you hadn't go play in that woods when Romulus and I told you not to, you wouldn't have!'

Pepper sighed. 'Yeah… I wish I listened that time. But what use is there telling a kid about lunar charts?'

'Exactly my point,' Anne said smugly.

'Helloooo! You forgot me!! Genius prankster here!' Sirius Brad called.

'Mischievous as always, Sirius,' Melissa smiled.

'Where'd you woke up? We couldn't find your bodies anywhere,' Yvonne said.

'Oh, we fell off that cliff. It was dreadfully cold down there, although I couldn't feel anything now. Our bodies are still there, but they're nearly ripped into pieces,' Adele Greens said.

'I've been sending messages to James – no, no you, idiot -' Trenna said as Chore paraded proudly. His face fell when Trenna burst his bubbled.

'Sending what?'

'Messages. Ways to help Lily. He seemed able to do it and I was the only one "awoke" that time. Probably cause Lily here's knocked unconscious. I felt her power pulling me up though.'

'How?' Rose said.

'It depends. The cure, as young Lily here had said, is "buried deep behind the golden key, only shown at half past three."'

'I can never understand how you two can rhyme even in the most panicking situation. Probably that's why Lily had always been that way. Another talent of hers,' Rose sighed.

'Who cares? Riddle's done it again! I told you to pull him down with us!' Brad said to Chore, pointing at Lily, still lying in bed.

'He cast an ancient spell,' Pepper said.

'Only one antidote! Too bad, Poppy's memory had been wiped clean off,' Chore said.

'What do you mean? The memory charm?' Yvonne said.

'No! He ripped off the page for the antidote!' Green said, hitting Yvonne.

'Ow… how come it still hurts? You're dead!' she exclaimed.

'Better than alive. We don't age and are perfectly happy together,' Green grinned.

'Now you got me jealous,' Anne said. 'With those kids getting into trouble, I'm aging everyday, worried on what'll happen next.'

**

It was fifteen minutes to two and the sky was dark and cloudy when James woke up. A sign of bad omen. Shaking his head, he tried to remember what was he suppose to do and get Divination off his head. Now, what was his task again?

Oh yeah. Tell a girl his deepest secret. Big deal.

He chose Lily, since she's asleep and probably wouldn't know anyway, if he did. Quietly, he dressed into his robes, took his wand and pulled the Invisibility Cloak over himself before setting off for the Infirmary.

The journey wasn't as long as what it had seemed when they brought Lily to the Hospital Wing that morning. It only took him ten minutes to slipped in quietly and settle himself on the next bed. Their mothers were sleeping in the guest room and Pomfrey wouldn't hear a thing in her snores. So all in all, James is alone.

Two more minutes before the time comes… James had practiced this and repeated it many times to himself the whole day. He made a double check with himself to make sure he won't screw this one up. Especially with Lily's life at stake.

One more minute… he mumbled quietly to himself. Gee, I sound like I'm gonna die!

Ten more seconds… the room had a mysterious aura surrounding it suddenly.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

DONG! DONG!

Now is the time and James opened his mouth to blurt out what he'd been wanting to say. Once he start, he wouldn't stop. Nothing came out and James was furious with himself. He's forgotten everything! Either that or it was that words failed him at the peak of the situation.

'Lily, I…' was all the poor boy could said.

Damn.

Why now?

Speak, James, speak!

Potter, rattle that voice box!!

Argh, I can never do this!!!

Perhaps it was because he was out of his mind, too desperate or he was going by the saying of "actions speak louder than words", James didn't know. But before he could even stop himself, an invisible force (high possibility of his head) had him did something he'd never done to Lily before.

He kissed her. Not on the lips but on her cheek.

He gaped in shock and pulled away as soon as he felt back his nerves.

'Now, until half past three,' a soft voice said. Lily's luminous figure had materialized again, a soft glow surrounding her this time. But there's no fiery red in her hair. Nor the sign of twinkle in her playful green eyes. Just whiteness.

'Lily, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I-' James stuttered.

'Ssh! Calm down!'

'No, I'm really and honestly sorry, Lily, and-' James tried again. She just smiled.

'I'm not Lily. At least, not her,' the figure said, pointing at Lily's sleeping figure.

'Then? You looked pretty much like her though. Every detail…' James said, looking at the figure closely. Then realization dawned him. 'Not… not Lily Trenna?'

'Right. That's my reincarnation there,' Trenna said. 'I say, you do look a lot like James. Every detail, too.'

'I am James!' James retorted.

'Not my James, though. Let's just wait until half past three. I have all the time to spare.'

Trenna floated down next to James as they waited quietly and patiently for half past three to come.

Just as the clock stroked the noted time, a large treasure box materialized before them out of thin air. Trenna caught it swiftly and fitted a golden key from Lily's pocket into it. A little parchment fell.

'What's this?' James said, picking it up.

'That's what Riddle had torn from Poppy's encyclopedia. I don't know what is it though, but the rest of them are calling for me now,' Trenna said, pointing at the window.

James gaped in surprise as he see the ghost of himself, Sirius, Remus and Adele. Exactly alike in all ways, although the ghosts looked more mature and older. About seventeen. Trenna waved, as did Chore, Brad, Pepper and Green before they disappear with the moonlight.

'Wow…' James said. He then pulled the parchment open and read it's contents.

'To cure the Ularsta Nagita, one must use the ancient way,' James read. 'Hey, this isn't even recognizable! What ancient way? Tell!'

The parchment did nothing of that sort and James sighed. He thought hard.

'Hmm… this must be in those olden times. Olden times… fairytales… castles… prince and princess… and… Oh no! Not that!!!' James moaned softly. He felt a little wind behind him but ignored it.

To do or not to do is James' only thoughts at the moment. He picked a daisy and pulled its petals off.

'To do? Not to do? To do? Not to do? To do? Not to do?' James said. Finally, he shakily pulled the last of the white petals.

'DO?!'

Surrendering to his awful fate (Why me? Why me? He demanded), he lowered his head down and gave Lily a peck on her lips. At first, nothing seem to happen, but after three long minutes, Lily's color went back to her and her eyes fluttered open.

'Huh? Hullo James!' Lily greeted.

'You're awake! You're awake!' James cried, hugging Lily tightly and kissing her. And that was how Lily received her first kiss. She went red and hid under her blankets quickly. James hit himself hard.

'Look, Lily, I'm sorry,' James began.

'It's okay. I know it's for helping me,' Lily mumbled from under her covers.

'Uh, thanks,' James said. He didn't know what else to say. Especially after the two had just had their first kiss.

'You met hem, didn't you?' Lily asked. 'Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Adele.'

'How did you know?'

'They came to me. In my dreams. They helped me with the soul-separating charm, else, I wouldn't have managed it in my condition,' Lily said.

'True…'

'And… thanks for sharing with me. Your heart's secret. It's Trenna who sent those help, though,' Lily said, burning now.

'She sounded very much like you,' James commented.

'It's cause she's my past. I'm reincarnated from her, as did all the Marauders.'

'And what about my thoughts?'

'You- you said- you said you liked me,' Lily stuttered, burying herself even deeper.

'He DID?! Lily, I'll never call your Psychic bad anymore!' Rose cried, jumping out of nowhere.

'See, I told you so!' Yvonne said, also coming out.

'Mom?!' the two yelled at the same time.

The two women stared at each other.

'Uh…' Rose said.

'See? I told you do!' Yvonne scolded.

'Hey, at least we get to know what happened!' Rose defended.

'Weren't you two in the guest room?' James asked.

'No. Rose suggested for us to come here for the night under my Invisibility Cloak,' Yvonne said.

'Hah! We had a show, though!' Rose said. Lily and James' rage gauge were building up slowly.

'Ta-dah!!!!' Sirius exclaimed, pulling another Invisibility Cloak off himself.

'That's right! Keep your hands linked!' Adele said, holding a video camera.

'Smile!' Remus greeted, his camera in hand.

'We came in just in time where James was giving Lily her first kiss. Boy, what a hug! Did it hurt Li?' Sirius said.

'We win then! We were here all the time!!' Rose said scornfully, high-fiving with Yvonne. But by that time, Lily and James' rage gauge was already full and the two yelled and screamed loudly, breaking half the windows and waking the whole school.

AN: a ha!!!! I did it!!! hurray!!!! And to Rachie.V., you got your wish now. You wanted L/J and also something to happen J well, I made it possible [at last…]! I wanted to write something about Voldie doing something off-hand and this jumped onto the scene. And the ghosts appeared! Yep. Another part of my imagination. Welcome to my world. It was kinda serious in the middle, so I thought I'd have some surprise at the last. Not very funny, I think. And those stupid rhymes are all mine. I thought of it whilst having a headache, so don't blame me, kay? Love to hear from all about this one cause this is my favorite chapter so far. So… please?