Chapter 5
"What was it that you wanted to tell us?" Jocelyn asked, feet dangling off Lily's bed.
The girls had convened in Lily's dorm room after afternoon classes and before dinner. Rose was sitting in Lily's plush overstuffed chair while Lily nervously brushed her hair at her vanity. Lily noticed Rose's glare of through the mirror.
"Well…" Lily began setting aside her brush with a definitive thump, "I wanted to tell you what Professor Dumbledore said last night. It's somewhat scary, and I have a feeling you're not going to be extremely overjoyed at the prospect, but…"
"Just spit it out, Lils. I really don't want to be late for dinner," Josie complained. Her rumbling stomach punctuated her words.
"Alright, fine. Here is the fast version. You two, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and I are going to be working together on a yearlong project for Dumbledore. We're going to be doing some traveling to dig up word on Lord Voldemort, dress up in disguises, and we only have to go to class if we wish to, though all work must be made up if missed. Tonight we're supposed to meet with Dumbledore after dinner in his office, and we have to bring the Marauders," Lily finished, the last words tumbling quickly out of her mouth.
Rose and Josie looked stunned. Suddenly they both began to laugh. Then they were rolling all over the floor.
"Rose Amelia Pederson, Jocelyn Marie Chevius, please stop laughing. I'm not joking. Look, I'll go get the letter that Dumbledore wrote if you'd like," Lily pleased with her two friends.
"Lily, not to doubt you, but this seems like the kind of prank Sirius and James would pull. Are you sure that you're not under 'imperious' or something?" Josie asked, picking herself up from the floor.
"Fine, I get it. Just stay put while I go and grab the letter from James," Lily ordered.
She rushed down he stairs and through the common room. It was filled with students getting ready for dinner. They gave their Head girl strange looks, but they were shocked when she rushed up the stairs to the boy's dormitory.
When Lily reached the very top, she began to bang on the door and yell, "James Godric Potter, open the door! Please! I know you're in there with the rest of the Marauders! Remus Bradley Lupin! Peter Pettigrew! Sirius S…"
A hand shot out the door to cover Lily's mouth before she could finish yelling Sirius' full name. Arms reached out to pull her into the room. Lily fought with all her might and finally hit something hard causing a groan.
"Lily, that hurt! I never knew you could punch so hard!" James croaked coming into her view.
The hands let go of her and she was able to speak, "If you hadn't tried to scare me to death by making me think you were murders or something, I wouldn't have fought."
"Lily, I told you that you were never to utter Sirius' whole name when I told it to you. He's very sensitive about it," Remus chastised, stepping into her view.
"You're the one who told her! I thought she had weaseled it out of Mom or something. You're a dead werewolf!" Sirius exclaimed in mock anger.
"I'll take you any day, you overgrown poodle!" Remus countered.
"Boys, hush. I believe Lils came to see me as she came to my room. Did you finally decide that you couldn't live without me, baby doll?" James asked with a smirk.
"In your dreams, Potter. I just came to get the note from you that says we're supposed to be doing this wacky spy project," Lily scoffed.
"What project? What's going on James?" Sirius asked and threw his arm around Lily's waist.
"Gee, thanks, Lils. I hadn't told them yet. I was just getting ready to," James groaned. "Now I have to explain right away instead of when Peter is in a better mood!"
Sirius sat on his bed and pulled Lily onto his lap. "You had better explain fast, Prongs old buddy."
"I think it's Lily that needs to do the explaining," Rose commented dryly from the doorway. "We though you were here too long so we came to check, and once again you're letting one of those filthy animals hug you."
"Besides it's time for dinner, and you said that we have to meet Dumbldore for our assignment right after, so let's go eat," Josie added looking around the doorway. "James can explain at dinner. I'm hungry!"