'Why? Why did it have to be my parents to…to die first? This is all my fault…and I'm more than sure that Petunia will really keep her promise in never wanting to see or speak to me again,' Lily thought as she just lied there on her cot in the hospital wing, looking up at the ceiling.
It had been at least close to a week and maybe a few days since she had last seen her friends…and even the Marauders…and even James and from what she could tell, it was dark outside…probably somewhere past midnight. She was starting to wonder if her friends really cared enough about her to go by and visit her, knowing that she hadn't gone back with James when the meeting with the Dumbledore was over, or when she didn't attend any of her classes for the past couple of days.
"It seems that I'm alone in this place now. My parents are…are gone, Petunia, my sister, won't have a thing to do with me, and it seems like my friends have all abandoned me," Lily said out loud to herself, her eyes starting to tear up.
"Now, what kind of friends would we all be if were not to stop by and visit the famous Lily Evans," said a voice from beside her cot.
Startled, Lily jumped up from her cot and stood on the other side of it. Now, the cot was in between her and the voice that she heard. Lily began to look around the room, not hearing anything else and sat down on the cot.
"I must be going crazy," Lily said.
"Evans, if you were to start 'going crazy,' who could I bicker with over everything," said a different voice from the first.
"Potter?" Lily said as she stood up and looked around the room.
"Of course," said a voice next to Lily's ear, which caused her to jump again, but she lost her balance and braced herself for the contact of the hard ground and instead, felt a pair of arms rap around her.
When Lily looked up, she saw a pair mischievous blue eyes looking back at her that were behind a pair of dark rimmed glasses.
"Potter!" Lily yelled as she rapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.
"In public, Evans?" Potter asked as he was a bit shocked, but returned the hug, slowly.
Lily pulled back and glared at him and noticed that the rest of the Marauders and her friends were looking at her strangely, until they all smiled at her and she returned the smile. Reluctantly, though she didn't know why, she let go of James and ran up to Sarah and Jenna, who enveloped her in hug.
"Its great to see you guys!" Lily said as she pulled back.
"Same here," Sarah said as she smiled at her.
"Lily, are you…are you alright?" Jenna asked as she looked at her friend.
"…Yeah…I'm okay," Lily said as she looked up at them and forced a smile.
"You know, we are beginning to feel left-out," said Remus as he looked at the group of girls.
"Lupin…Black…and Potter, what are you all doing here?" Lily asked, remembering again on how she had hugged James.
"Well, for starters, the three of us walked into a conversation that your friends were having about trying to get in here to see you, which is where we, the Marauders, come in," Sirius said, smiling at her.
"Yes, you see, it was a very difficult choice for all of us to make, especially Prongs, but in the end we all agreed to help them out," Remus said, also smiling at her.
Lily nodded her head at the two boys who stood in front of her, hugged her friends again, and then turned around to look at James, who was sitting down in one of the chairs by her cot, looking at a cloak that was wrapped around his arm that she never noticed before.
James looked up at her and held an annoying look on his face. He stood up and placed the cloak over the chair and looked at her.
"What is it that you want now, Evans?" James asked, looking down at her.
"Well, I thank you all for helping my friends get here, but I know you have to be the one that came up with the plan to get them all down here, including yourself," Lily said as she crossed her arms over her chest and waited for him to speak.
"What would make you think that, Evans?" James asked, also crossing his arms over his chest.
"Because, Potter, you are the biggest pranker and rule breaker that I know of and I know that you know how to get everywhere without being seen," Lily said.
"I'll take that as a compliment, Evans. A day or two after our…our meeting with…Dumbledore…Moony and Padfoot came to talk to me about the problem that Jetins and Higgins were having. Apparently, they were trying to figure out a way to sneak in here without getting caught by the prefects and the professors. So, with a lot of thoughtful planning, we were able to get down here for your friends to see you," James said, smirking at her.
"Well…thanks…James," Lily said as she smiled at him and then frowned, looking down at the floor again.
"Lily, we'll…we'll help you get through this…all of us," Jenna said, looking at Sarah and all of the Marauders.
"…Thanks you guys," Lily said as she forced a smile at them.
"Mr. Potter and Miss Evans, come with me please," McGonagall said as she walked up to where the Marauders were at, along with Lily, Sarah and Jenna.
"Now what did you do?" Lily asked, looking at James.
"I didn't do anything! I haven't been able to do anything for months because of you!" James said as he walked beside Lily.
"I'm more than sure that you have at least done something while I wasn't around," Lily said as she glared at James.
"You know, knowing that school will be ending in just a few more days, you could at least let me and the others pull a prank," James said, glaring back at her.
"I don't think so, Potter. Just because you're a prankster, who happens to hang out with my friends friends, doesn't mean that I'll let you get away with anything. Just be thankful that I haven't told McGonagall or Dumbledore where you get your 'stash' and how you are able to pull off your pranks," Lily said, lowering her voice so only James could hear, but they both knew that Lily still didn't know how James and the others were able to pull off all of their pranks without getting caught.
"Whatever, Evans," James said as McGonagall gave them both a stern look.
"Lemon Drop," McGonagall said as Lily and James walked up to the entrance.
When Lily and James both walked into Dumbledore's office, he was sitting at his desk, looking a bit amused at the letter he had that was sitting on top of his desk. He motioned for them both to sit down on the chairs in front of him and looked at both of them, having a twinkle in his eyes that was gone for months.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Potter and Miss Evans. Mr. Potter…would you please read this letter to yourself," Dumbledore said as he held out the letter from his desk to James.
"All right, Professor," James said as he took the letter and began to read to himself.
"Now, Miss Evans…there is a certain matter that we must all attend to," Dumbledore said as his smile shifted from James to Lily.
"Yes, Professor?" Lily asked as she tried to read what James was reading, but couldn't.
"Well, seeing as how…you will not be able to stay at home any longer and your sister seeming to be…reluctant…we have all decided to let you stay with Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Dumbledore said, still smiling.
"What?!" both said at the same time, Lily starring at him and James starring at the letter in his hands.
"Well, Mr. Potter's parents understand the…situation…that we are all in and have agreed to take you in," Dumbledore said as he leaned forwards on his desk and smiled again at them.
"But…"
"Professor…there has to be another way," James said as he stood up from his chair and looked at him.
"Mr. Potter, what is done is done. Both of your parents have agreed to this and since they are both more than capable to help and protect you and Miss Evans, there seems to not be a problem at all with the situation," Dumbledore said as he continued to smile at them.
When Dumbledore didn't get any response back from the two, he nodded his head to them and gave them permission to leave and to return back to their friends.
"I can't believe that he is doing this to me," Lily said as she and James walked back to the common room.
"Trust me, Evans…seeing you everyday for school is fine and everything…but having to see you throughout my summer isn't something that I'm looking forwards to either," James said as he glared at her.
"Trust me, Potter, the feeling is mutual," Lily said as she glared back at him and quickened her pace, leaving him behind her.
Sorry it took so long. V-ball practice has started already…so its going to take a bit longer to update and all. Anyhooter, thanks for the reviews and suggestions and honest opinions! Really did appreciate it you guys! Keep reading and reviewing! Sirius is bound to get funnier later on…maybe in the next chapter and all…hehe…so…yeah…um…J If you all have any ideas at all…let me know and I'll put it in the story! Flames are welcomed as usual! Thanks! Laters! - Bluepiper