The corridors and hallways of Hogwarts were dark and empty, and the moon was shining brightly outside the window. James was up again, taking a walk. He wasn't going to steal food from the kitchen like he used to do most nights, he just needed to move. He wore his invisibility cloak and held his broom in his right hand, in case he would want to take a fly. The school could be a scary place in the nights. The stone walls seemed to be whispering, he could swear he saw the statues move, but he wasn't frightened. He and the Marauders knew the school better than anyone, they even had a map showing all the hidden doors and rooms.

Soon he would come to the place where he had met Lily that night.... It seemed to be so long ago, in those days she had still been his friend, one of his best friends. And now she couldn't stand the sight of him. He sighed and the sound echoed through the darkness. It was a sound filled with such pain and sorrow it would have made cold shivers run down the spine of anyone who heard it.

He turned left and entered a corridor that was bathing in the silver light of the moon. This was it, Lily had been standing right there, shimmering with joy. He could see her so clearly before him, it was as if she was actually standing there. He clearly saw her white night gown, her hair and her ocean deep eyes.

"James?"

He gasped. He wasn't just imagining her, she was really there! She was standing by the same window, looking right at him.

He removed the invisibility cloak and approached her.

"Hi", he said, hardly more than whispered.

He lowered his look to the stone floor, but he could feel her looking at him..

"I.... would like to talk to you", she said.

"Why?"

"Prongs, could you look at me?"

He hesitated. Then she put her hand under his chin and gently forced him to look at her.

"Because there is something I have to say to you."

She took her hand off him and he was unable to move, caught by her eyes.

"Yes?", he said.

"It's about the letters."

She made a pause, then continued.

"James.... I have been thinking. About Chris and why I was in love with him. It wasn't the way he looked, not really. It was the way he made me feel. Like I was beautiful, intelligent, special... But it wasn't him. It was you who made me feel like that."

James sensed something was coming, and he prepared himself for the worst.

"When you told me the truth I felt so stupid, like I meant nothing to either you or Chris. But then afterwards.... Oh, James, I have missed you and the others so much! I was too proud to talk to you, but I have to say this. I love you, James. I love you with everything I am, and I don't care about anything else right now! I know now that those letters, your words, wasn't a joke, you meant it, and I love you for it, for who you are and for how you make me feel."

She stopped and exhaled, as if she had been holding her breath. James just stared at her, completely stunned. Then he put his arms around her, held her to him tightly and stroke her hair. He smiled widely with joy, kissed her forehead and let his lips wander down to her cheeks and eyes till finally their lips met.

It was as if electricity flew through him. He heard a humming in his ears, like he was full of gentle, sweet bees. He closed his eyes and drowned in the kiss, and so did she. Afterwards she was speechless.

"James", she whispered.

"Lily", he replied and kissed her again.

Then he smiled at her and picked up his broom, which he had dropped on the floor.

"Wanna go for a ride?", he asked. "I don't wanna stand still another second, I feel like I'm soaring already."

She returned the smile and they both mounted the broom. He sat behind her and kissed the soft skin of her neck as he leaned forward a bit. Then they lifted and flew out through the high window which had opened magically.

The soft night wind made them feel drunk at once. They laughed and let out little screams of joy as they went faster and higher. The stars twinkled at them, the moon seemed to smile happily and the night was all theirs, their own universe.

"I love you, James!", Lily yelled loudly.

In one of the castle's dormitories three boys were sitting by a window, looking at the silhouette of James and Lily. The boys were sharing a huge pile of candy between them and cheered for their friend.

"Go, Prongs!", Sirius shouted.

"She's back. Lily's back."

"Hope he's not gonna forget us."

"Of course he won't, Wormtail. We're always going to be the Marauders, best friends forever."

Later on that year the Marauders and Lily graduated from Hogwarts. They had all received surprisingly good grades and felt ready to conquer the entire world. James proposed to Lily and they were married with a huge wedding. All of their friends and families were there, and that was a lot of people, and when James finally kissed his bride he thought his heart would burst with pride and love. She was his, his beautiful Lily, and he was hers, forever. Exactly nine months later, when he for the first time held their son in his arms, he knew that he was the happiest man on Earth. He made Sirius little Harry's godfather.

"What do you think?", James asked full of pride and showed Sirius the little baby with the black hair.

"He's already a Marauder. There's something about him, I think he's gonna be something really special."

THE END