Author's Note: Well. Hmm.
Title: Love and Flashbacks
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Erm… Possibly.
Summary: Lily and James remember the events that led to their romance.
Disclaimer: As much as I'd love to own Harry Potter and its characters, I don't.
Setting: This story takes place when the Marauders are at Hogwarts.
*** = setting change
*~*= begin flashback
~*~ = end flashback
[…] = time
italics = emphasis
italics = thoughts
~The Holiday~
The Gryffindor sixth years (with the exception of Peter) were seated in front of the fire. Lily and James were on the sofa where Lily had first realized her attraction to James. Koren was sitting on Sirius's lap in an armchair. Remus and Charlotte were seated in separate chairs, but had pushed them together.
"It's Christmas Eve," Koren said. "You guys aren't gonna pop into our room tomorrow like you did two years ago, are you?" she asked, twisting around to see her boyfriend's face.
"Naw," Sirius replied. "We'll knock first."
The others laughed while Koren playfully pushed Sirius.
"Do you realize that none of the Slytherins stayed here for Christmas?" Remus asked. "Even Professor Brewer is gone."
James and Sirius had identical grins on their faces.
"We should give them a—erm—welcome-back present," James said.
*~*
[5th year]
Sirius, Remus, Peter, and James were standing outside the Great Hall, waiting for some Slytherins to finish breakfast one Saturday morning. They had their wands hidden behind their backs.
A blonde Slytherin fifth year came storming out of the Great Hall.
The Gryffindors sent each other questioning looks.
Lucius Malfoy came running after the girl, followed by a bunch of his friends. "Narcissa, wait!"
"Leave me alone, Lucius!"
That was when the Marauders decided to play their prank.
"Narcissa, I—" Suddenly, he couldn't speak. All that came out of his mouth was a hissing sound. The Slytherins behind him were hissing as well.
"You what, Lucius? You're an idiot? Because I already knew that," Narcissa said venomously. "We are through." She stalked off toward the dungeons. (AN: Ha! Mr. Malfoy's having girlfriend problems… *laughs uncontrollably*)
Malfoy turned on the Marauders, still hissing.
"What? Did you say something? Can't hear you," James said, grinning.
One of the boys behind Malfoy took out his wand and tried to curse them, but couldn't, since he couldn't speak.
Sirius clicked his tongue. "Avery, don't be so rude."
Malfoy and Snape turned and ran inside the Great Hall, hissing loudly. Halfway to the staff table, they stopped hissing. They were suddenly able to speak. "Sss—fessor Brewer!"
"Is there a problem, boys?"
"No," Malfoy replied. "No problem, sorry to bother you." He turned and glared at the Marauders, who smiled innocently at him.
He and Snape walked back out.
Malfoy glared darkly at the Gryffindor fifth years. "You'll pay for that. You just ruined my relationship with Narcissa."
"Like she really liked you anyway," Sirius said. "She was probably only interested in you for your money."
The Slytherin boy didn't answer; he ran off to fix the damage he had done.
~*~
Lily said, "You guys… What are you planning?"
"What?" Sirius asked innocently. "We don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, please. Don't give me that."
James replied, "Lily, you know we can't go too long without pulling a prank. You don't want to cause your boyfriend's death, do you?"
"Well, at least we'd be rid of you, and that's a definite plus."
James pouted. "That's mean."
"Okay, okay. If you're going to pull a prank on the Slytherins, we want in on it," the redhead replied, gesturing to the other two girls.
"Yeah!" Koren agreed enthusiastically.
Charlotte said, "Okay."
The sixteen-year-olds started forming a plan.
***
[40 minutes later]
"Well, if we're done with all the planning, I'm going to go to bed," Koren announced, yawning. "Night, guys." She walked toward the girls' dormitories.
"I'm going too," Sirius said, getting up to follow Koren.
"Sirius!" the teenagers around the fire shouted in exasperation.
"What?"
Koren turned around. "Sirius—honey—what are you doing?"
"Nothing."
"Uh huh. Sure. Why were you following me?"
"It was just a joke..."
"Okay. Sirius, your room is that way." She pointed across the room.
"Wait. Don't I get a goodnight kiss?"
The blonde reached up and kissed Sirius right on the lips. "Goodnight," she said, turning around with a self-satisfied smile on her face.
Sirius stood there, dazed, for a full minute after Koren had gone up the stairs.
When he came out of his stupor, he found the others watching him silently. "Now I know why I like her so much," he said with a goofy grin on his face. He walked across the common room and climbed the stairs to his dorm.
When he was out of sight, Remus remarked, "That must have been some kiss."
Charlotte leaned over and kissed him.
"But it couldn't have been better than that," Remus amended.
Lily and James shared a goodnight kiss as well.
*~*
[3rd year]
The Gryffindor third years were gathered in the common room. They were playing a game of Truth or Dare, which had been suggested by Lily.
"Okay, James. Truth or dare?" Koren asked.
"Dare."
"Okay," she replied, grinning mischievously, "I dare you to… kiss Lily."
"What?"
"What?!" Lily shouted, outraged. "Koren!"
"You suggested the game."
"But—" she stopped, knowing that anything she could say were all just excuses. "Fine, Potter," she said, sighing, "but make it quick."
James went over to her and tilted her chin up. He leaned down, and as their lips met, she thought, Wow.
He pulled away and sat back down, looking like he thought it was no big deal.
~*~
The Gryffindors went to bed to await what Christmas morning would bring.
***
[The next morning]
Koren opened her eyes and saw Sirius smiling softly (AN: Whoa… Major alliteration there.) down at her. "Morning, beautiful."
"Hey, gorgeous," she replied sleepily.
James and Remus came into the room, carrying the girls' presents. "Merry Christmas!" they exclaimed cheerfully.
"What?" Charlotte asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Oh, Merry Christmas, guys." She gasped as she noticed the huge pile of presents. "Are those all for us?"
"Yep," Remus replied.
James bounced onto Lily's bed. "Merry Christmas!"
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Let me go back to sleep."
Koren leaned on Sirius as he handed her a gift. She opened the small box. "A locket."
"Open it."
Inside, there was a moving photograph of Sirius and Koren. There was also an engraving. "Together forever," she read.
"You went all out, didn't you, Padfoot?" James called.
Sirius grinned. He picked up the locket so he could put it on Koren. She lifted her honey blond hair away from her neck as Sirius fastened the chain around it.
Remus sat next to his girlfriend on her bed. She was running her fingers through her hair, trying to get the tangles out.
"Here." He handed her a neatly wrapped present.
She lifted the box to test the weight of it. "It's heavy."
"Open it."
Charlotte ripped the wrapping off and removed a large black object from the box.
"It's a magical telescope," Remus explained. "I know you like Astronomy, so I got it for you. It gives you information about whatever you're looking at in space."
The young witch hugged him. "Thank you," she said, then kissed him.
Meanwhile, Lily was trying to ignore James (which was hard, considering he was bouncing around on her bed). She glanced at her clock and groaned. "It's too early for this, James. Go away."
"Not until you open my present."
"Fine."
Lily opened the gift. "It's a book."
"Mm hmm. Ways to block or reverse stuff we," he answered, gesturing to the Marauders, "might do as a joke."
Lily smiled. "Thanks." She leaned against him and closed her eyes. "I'm going back to sleep now."
"So now I'm a pillow?"
"Yes."
James kissed her. "Did that wake you up?"
"Nope. Just made me sleepier."
He kissed her on the forehead. "Okay."
Koren and Charlotte opened their other presents while James opened Lily's for her.
Sirius asked, "Okay, now do we get our presents?"
Koren waved a lazy hand toward the other side of the room. "Over there."
Sirius and Remus ran to the pile and grabbed the presents. "Here you go, Prongs," Sirius said, tossing James's Christmas gifts at him.
(AN: Okay, I don't want to think of anymore presents, so we're skipping ahead to lunch.)
***
[Noon]
The six witches and wizard headed down to lunch, their empty stomachs rumbling.
As they entered the Great Hall, they saw a table in the center of the room set for eleven.
Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout were already seated. McGonagall raised an eyebrow at the sight of Koren with her arms around Sirius's neck and a drowsy Lily being held up by James but didn't say anything.
"Merry Christmas!" Dumbledore greeted the Gryffindors.
"Merry Christmas," they chorused.
Everyone stared at Sirius as he began eating.
"What?" he asked.
The others just shook their heads.
***
[45 minutes later]
Five sixteen-year-olds stood and moved away from the table. The eleventh seat had still not been taken. Apparently, the fourth year Hufflepuff who had stayed for Christmas had decided not to join the group for lunch.
"Come on, let's go."
"Sirius!" Koren called.
"Hmm?"
"We're going."
"But—"
"We've been through this already."
"All right, just let me get a little more pudding—"
Koren dragged her boyfriend out of the Great Hall. The professors stared as Remus and Charlotte shrugged at them. Lily and James suppressed laughs as they watched the scene.
***
The sixth years were walking back to Gryffindor Tower.
"Ah! Cramp! Cramp!" Koren screeched in pain. "My foot! Ow…"
Suddenly she was lifted into the air. "What are you doing?!"
Sirius replied, "You said your foot hurts, so I'm carrying you." He had picked her up in his arms. He started walking.
"Well, it doesn't hurt that bad… I'm fine!"
"I don't care."
Charlotte and Lily giggled as their best friend started yelling.
"Sirius! Put me down!"
"Okay," he replied resignedly. He let go of her with one arm.
Koren shrieked as she grabbed him around the neck to keep herself from falling, her blue eyes going wide. It didn't matter, because in the next instant, Sirius caught her. "What did you do that for?" she demanded.
"The same reason I do everything."
"You did it because you're an idiot?"
"Well, you aren't thinking about your foot anymore, are you?"
The blonde considered for a moment, then replied, "No, I guess not."
"Then my work here is done. Well, almost. Still have to get you to the common room in one piece."
Koren giggled as she leaned against him.
Behind them, Lily said to James, "Maybe you should have given me a book to help us deal with Sirius's idiocy."
"No book is going to help you there," he replied, sliding his arm around her waist.
"I remember one book that did."
*~*
[1st year]
Sirius was running around the common room excitedly. "It's my birthday tomorrow! I'm gonna get lots of presents! Right?" he said, looking at his friends. "You'd better give me presents or you are so dead."
"Yeah, sure. Of course we're giving you presents."
"Okay. Woo hoo! I'm getting presents!"
Lily, who was trying to study, yelled, "Sirius, shut up! I don't care if it's your birthday tomorrow. Some people around here are trying to study!"
"Okay. It's my birthday tomorrow! It—ow! Hey, what'd you do that for?"
Lily had thrown her Transfiguration book at Sirius. "I thought that would get you to shut up."
"A little temperamental there, eh Evans?"
"Shut up, Potter."
~*~
Remus noticed that Sirius had started running. "Hey, Padfoot, where are you going so fast?"
Sirius spun around, making Koren a little dizzy, and answered, "I have to get my—er—patient to Gryffindor Tower as quickly as possible."
"Oh. Well, carry on, then!"
Charlotte laughed. "Remus, that boy's going to kill her like that…"
"Well, you win some, you lose some."
"Silly," she replied, ruffling his hair.
***
Sirius dropped Koren onto a sofa in the Gryffindor common room. "How do you feel?"
"Dizzy."
He grinned. "Great. I did it!"
Koren tried to hold back a smile. "C'mere," she said, waving him over from the armchair he had been sitting in.
Sirius lay down next to her. She put her head down on his chest. She could hear and feel his heart beating. She said softly, "Thank you for the locket. And thank you for being such a great boyfriend."
"You're welcome. I do my best." He put an arm around her and started stroking her hair.
That was the position their friends found them in five minutes later.
"Aww, isn't that cute?" James said, grinning.
"I think it's sweet," Charlotte put in.
"Oh, come on, guys. Nothing to see here. Move it along," Sirius said, shooing them away.
The others did the opposite of that and settled down in the common room.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note: I have nothing to say…
