A few weeks later James and Lily were spending the night together. He was
sitting normally on the chair while she was lying across on his lap, her
legs swinging off the side of the chair. The pair had now been together
steadily for almost 7 months, and rarely had any problems.
Out of nowhere Lily leaned her arm around his shoulder and messed up the back of his head laughing softly.
"I just realized you haven't done that in so long, In past years it was like you could not go a minute without doing that" even while she said it her hands continued to play with his hair.
"Well after you came to your senses and saw what a winning personality I have," Lily snorted at that "I have no reason to show off anymore." James said still grinning.
"Good answer, well except for the winning personality part"
"Thanks"
"James, can I ask you something serious?" He blinked hoping this was not a bad topic
"What are you doing after Hogwarts?" He breathed a sigh of relief "oh you scared me there for a moment- alright that's not such a hard question. I had wanted to be an auror but that might change. Have you heard about Voldemort?"
"Yah I have heard rumors about him, some dark wizard who is gaining favor, what about him?"
"Well he is gaining favor, but he can be a huge problem for the wizarding community and well I am hoping to work against him. What about you?"
"I was thinking I might work for the ministry, maybe since my parents are muggles I would work in the muggle section." She gave a shrug "My grades are good enough but I don't know what I could specifically do."
"Neither do I"
A few nights later Dumbledore had invited James to his office for a friendly meeting. The relationship between Dumbledore and James had been close since James was young; Dumbledore was a Potter family friend after all.
"Enjoying the end of the year James?"
"Yes very much so, its just weird considering we are not coming back next year."
"Ahh next year, what an interesting conversation" James blinked slightly confused.
"I heard from professor McGonagall that you wish to be an auror is that correct?"
"I was thinking about it."
"Well I know you have heard about the problems with Voldemort in the past months. It's not looking good James. It seems he keeps getting more supporters, people who call themselves "Death Eaters'" At this James nodding knowingly, his parents had kept him updated all the time being pretty involved with this stuff.
"Well I ask because I have a group called The Order of the Phoenix and we work against him and his death eaters. I was hoping to find some new young members to join and a certain few came to mind immediately, you involved."
"I- I am honored Professor"
"Well it can be very dangerous James. This is not something to be taken lightly, you could lose friends, family and lives are sometimes in danger."
"Well being an Auror is not all that safe either sir"
"Unfortunately I have a feelings that statement will soon become more and more true."
"I want to join professor, what's the difference between being an auror and working for your order?"
"I want you to think about it for a few days before I get your final answer, and I am serious when I saw to think about it. Also, you can no tell anyone about this, the fewer people who know the better it is, for all of us."
"How many people have joined?"
"Well the only people you would know are the Weasley's. They graduated two years ago and were in Gryfindor house also."
"I only remember Arthur Weasley. I never knew he had siblings."
Dumbledore laughed, "He married his long time girlfriend"
"Molly? Oh that's wonderful, I knew them briefly. Nice people."
"Yes, very nice. Arthur is working in the ministry so if the need arises we have a spy in the ministry."
"What part of the ministry does he work in? If you don't mind me asking."
"Internal muggle studies. Arthur was always fascinated with them."
"Ahh Lily wants to join that section as well!" Dumbledore nodding knowingly "Yes I know about that as well"
"How?" asked James perplexed
"I have been talking to all the Professors about what the students are planning. I was also hoping to persuade Lily to join the order, as well as your two best friends."
"They will don't worry sir, they will."
"I had a very small doubt that I would have problems convincing you three troublemakers to join." Dumbledore actually laughed. James had seen him smile; joke but never laugh and he couldn't help but smile him self. "It is going to be way to quiet around here without you three making trouble and your pranks. Though this year I see you haven't been doing as much as last year, and I guess I have Miss Evans to thank for that, yes?"
"Probably." James shrugged helplessly while still smiling.
Within a few days all of the marauders and Lily had talked to Dumbledore and decided to join. It was not really something that needed much thought, the boys just saw adventure and fun and Lily saw it as a way to decide what she would do with her life.
"Lily? Lily Evans.I think she is dead to the world Padfoot"
Lily blinked and turned to James. "What? Sorry was thinking."
"Don't want to hurt yourself now, be careful" jibed Sirius
She narrowed her eyes at him "Funny funny funny"
The group was enjoying themselves considering that for the first time this year the teachers were letting up on homework, it was near the end of the year after all. They had taken their NEWTS already and there was not much else they could do with them. They were all sitting outside under a tree near the pond while a few younger students were playing with the Squid's tentacles.
"I can't believe this is our last few weeks at Hogwarts. Its weird that we will never come back as students." Said Lily in an almost aw struck voice
"Who will miss being students? Well I think all that I will miss is playing pranks and driving McGonagall crazy." James put his arm around her shoulder laughing.
"Yah and no more trips to Dumbledore's office for us anymore" Sirius said happily
"Of course you would be happy about that" Remus smiled
"Thought I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot of Dumbledore, just not as student anymore" Lily commented and all three nodded.
Out of nowhere Lily leaned her arm around his shoulder and messed up the back of his head laughing softly.
"I just realized you haven't done that in so long, In past years it was like you could not go a minute without doing that" even while she said it her hands continued to play with his hair.
"Well after you came to your senses and saw what a winning personality I have," Lily snorted at that "I have no reason to show off anymore." James said still grinning.
"Good answer, well except for the winning personality part"
"Thanks"
"James, can I ask you something serious?" He blinked hoping this was not a bad topic
"What are you doing after Hogwarts?" He breathed a sigh of relief "oh you scared me there for a moment- alright that's not such a hard question. I had wanted to be an auror but that might change. Have you heard about Voldemort?"
"Yah I have heard rumors about him, some dark wizard who is gaining favor, what about him?"
"Well he is gaining favor, but he can be a huge problem for the wizarding community and well I am hoping to work against him. What about you?"
"I was thinking I might work for the ministry, maybe since my parents are muggles I would work in the muggle section." She gave a shrug "My grades are good enough but I don't know what I could specifically do."
"Neither do I"
A few nights later Dumbledore had invited James to his office for a friendly meeting. The relationship between Dumbledore and James had been close since James was young; Dumbledore was a Potter family friend after all.
"Enjoying the end of the year James?"
"Yes very much so, its just weird considering we are not coming back next year."
"Ahh next year, what an interesting conversation" James blinked slightly confused.
"I heard from professor McGonagall that you wish to be an auror is that correct?"
"I was thinking about it."
"Well I know you have heard about the problems with Voldemort in the past months. It's not looking good James. It seems he keeps getting more supporters, people who call themselves "Death Eaters'" At this James nodding knowingly, his parents had kept him updated all the time being pretty involved with this stuff.
"Well I ask because I have a group called The Order of the Phoenix and we work against him and his death eaters. I was hoping to find some new young members to join and a certain few came to mind immediately, you involved."
"I- I am honored Professor"
"Well it can be very dangerous James. This is not something to be taken lightly, you could lose friends, family and lives are sometimes in danger."
"Well being an Auror is not all that safe either sir"
"Unfortunately I have a feelings that statement will soon become more and more true."
"I want to join professor, what's the difference between being an auror and working for your order?"
"I want you to think about it for a few days before I get your final answer, and I am serious when I saw to think about it. Also, you can no tell anyone about this, the fewer people who know the better it is, for all of us."
"How many people have joined?"
"Well the only people you would know are the Weasley's. They graduated two years ago and were in Gryfindor house also."
"I only remember Arthur Weasley. I never knew he had siblings."
Dumbledore laughed, "He married his long time girlfriend"
"Molly? Oh that's wonderful, I knew them briefly. Nice people."
"Yes, very nice. Arthur is working in the ministry so if the need arises we have a spy in the ministry."
"What part of the ministry does he work in? If you don't mind me asking."
"Internal muggle studies. Arthur was always fascinated with them."
"Ahh Lily wants to join that section as well!" Dumbledore nodding knowingly "Yes I know about that as well"
"How?" asked James perplexed
"I have been talking to all the Professors about what the students are planning. I was also hoping to persuade Lily to join the order, as well as your two best friends."
"They will don't worry sir, they will."
"I had a very small doubt that I would have problems convincing you three troublemakers to join." Dumbledore actually laughed. James had seen him smile; joke but never laugh and he couldn't help but smile him self. "It is going to be way to quiet around here without you three making trouble and your pranks. Though this year I see you haven't been doing as much as last year, and I guess I have Miss Evans to thank for that, yes?"
"Probably." James shrugged helplessly while still smiling.
Within a few days all of the marauders and Lily had talked to Dumbledore and decided to join. It was not really something that needed much thought, the boys just saw adventure and fun and Lily saw it as a way to decide what she would do with her life.
"Lily? Lily Evans.I think she is dead to the world Padfoot"
Lily blinked and turned to James. "What? Sorry was thinking."
"Don't want to hurt yourself now, be careful" jibed Sirius
She narrowed her eyes at him "Funny funny funny"
The group was enjoying themselves considering that for the first time this year the teachers were letting up on homework, it was near the end of the year after all. They had taken their NEWTS already and there was not much else they could do with them. They were all sitting outside under a tree near the pond while a few younger students were playing with the Squid's tentacles.
"I can't believe this is our last few weeks at Hogwarts. Its weird that we will never come back as students." Said Lily in an almost aw struck voice
"Who will miss being students? Well I think all that I will miss is playing pranks and driving McGonagall crazy." James put his arm around her shoulder laughing.
"Yah and no more trips to Dumbledore's office for us anymore" Sirius said happily
"Of course you would be happy about that" Remus smiled
"Thought I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot of Dumbledore, just not as student anymore" Lily commented and all three nodded.