A/N: Hi... this is not one of my fav chapters but never mind. I AM THE MASTER! I FINISHED MY MATHS COURSEWORK! WOOWOWOOOOO! anyway. :D thanx to Invisible Voice, he who cant write, Oliverwoodschic (is it just my author alerts not working or hav u not updated for a long time?!), Jules713, CanadianBlueberries (lol), PriBAngel, smurfinator, EgyptsStar (well yah i am just SUCH a diplomat ;)), no-comment-carissa, kate, GhostMagic19 (aha, well, we'll see!), RedRaspberry (yeh sorry I HAD updated b4 the 18th after all! sorry! and eihwaz was disappointed that i only toyed with the idea of Rem being gay), atiya (it is still every friday! i dunno. mebbe a sequel, wodya think?), Adri, and slytherinphoenix7.
Eihwaz says thanks to everyone too, but she got my point last week! And also I think she thinks I'm mad with her. But I'm not. That goes to you too Invisible Voice :D I was just too hot and feeling irritable in tennis towards the end. Sorrrrry........ Hav fun on D of E Invisible Voice! Hee hee heeeeeeeeee... Anyway enuf personal note! On with the story.
Chapter 39
Life was improving. I had a steady - but exciting - boyfriend, I had my two best friends back, and being Head Girl was better than ever. The NEWTs were approaching, but not for another month or so. All that was blighting my happiness was the loss of my parents and therefore wondering what to do after school - and of course, the presence of Voldemort in the wizarding world, but that never went away.
And so the weeks went by in a blur of revising and laughing with friends and James. The NEWTs arrived - earlier than the OWLs, as we were to receive our results before the summer holidays. I was hoping for Outstanding in Charms, Arithmancy and Herbology at least, and Exceeds Expectations in Transfiguration and Astronomy. I had achieved Outstanding in everything but Potions at OWL level, but I thought that might be a bit much to hope for now.
This time I did not mind that at the end of each shared exam I could feel James watching me. We had developed a code of coughing - two coughs for 'this is easy' and three for 'this is impossible!' - and both of us were doing all right.
"This is a bit different to fifth year, isn't it?" I remarked after the Charms exam. Juliet and Rebecca were sitting on one side of me, Sirius, Remus and Peter on the other. James was lounging with his head in my lap.
"Not very," he replied, not opening his eyes. "We're still by the lake, and if I saw rightly earlier, Snape's near us again."
I glanced round. "Well, you're not going after him."
Sirius coughed. "Am I allowed?"
"You wouldn't, without James," I pointed out. "Anyway, J, everything else is different. That time, if I remember, you were sitting glancing at all the girls and playing with that Snitch."
"And ruffling up your hair," Juliet added.
He laughed. "I was glancing at you," he said.
"Aw, how sweet," mocked Sirius.
Remus shook his head. "You're so unromantic, Padfoot."
"And you're not?"
He shrugged. "I think I could be. You know perfectly well why I don't bother, so let's change the subject."
Unexpectedly, Sirius nodded. "Fine. Hey, James, sit up."
James groaned and pushed himself upright. "What?"
"Do you see what I see?"
James narrowed his eyes. "That is grotesque!"
I leaned forward. "What is?"
He pointed. Snape appeared to be doing exercises of some kind. "Er, James, he's only doing press ups."
Sirius shuddered. "It's the connotations I have a problem with."
I rolled my eyes. "Do you think of nothing else?"
"Nope. Well, that's a lie, actually, I think about pranking Snape, and I even considered repainting my lounge, the other day."
I couldn't help smiling.
"Won't your parents mind?" asked Juliet.
His eyes narrowed. "Don't live with them," he said shortly. "I have my own flat."
She looked surprised. "Oh. I didn't know. Sorry."
He grinned. "Don't be sorry. I intend it being very useful, having my own place when I leave school. Unlike Jamsie, who's staying at home... how sweet."
James glared at him. "You were perfectly happy to stay at my home when it was useful to you."
Sirius flinched. "Thanks."
"That was a bit below the belt, mate," Remus said.
James pulled a face. "Sorry."
Sirius waved a hand. "It's OK. So what are the rest of you doing?"
"Getting a place together," Juliet, Rebecca and I said.
"Staying at home," Remus said, "until I can buy a house somewhere."
"Peter?"
"I don't really know."
"Oh." Sirius grinned. "Staying at home, then." He turned back to us. "You're flat sharing, then?"
We nodded. It was something we had decided when the three of us became close friends again.
He smirked. "Lucky you, Juliet and Rebecca. You'll have to put up with it when James comes round. Make sure you have separate bedrooms."
James and I gaped at him, and he snorted with laughter. "Only joking, I know Lils wouldn't do that until marriage."
Now I began to flush. Clearly Sirius did not know. Remus began to smile knowingly as Juliet and Becky giggled. "I think Prongs may have a secret from you at last, Padfoot," he said.
"What?" Sirius frowned, and James grabbed my hand.
"Let's go," he said quickly, and we began walking hurriedly away. We were far enough away to escape when comprehension dawned.
"HEY! Hey, Prongs, get back here!"
James grinned. "And now we run," he said.
I was very glad that I hadn't been there when Sirius finally did corner James, but I had to bear his grins all the same. Now the exams were over, even classes didn't exist to get away from him in.
"Oh well," James sighed, "it's nearly June."
"Only halfway through May, actually; we don't break up until July," I reminded him.
"He'll get over it. He was just surprised. Though I have to say I was pretty surprised to be ambushed by a mad thing who stole my wand, levitated me and tied me in a curtain before proceeding to try and force feed me truth potion."
I smiled. That was Sirius, all right.
"No, actually, it was Snape," James said casually. "He'd overheard Sirius asking me, and wanted to know. I told Sirius with no problems."
I gaped.
"Only joking," he admitted. "Yeah, it was Padfoot."
Luckily, a distraction came in the form of a letter that evening. Professor Dumbledore himself delivered it to the common room, causing quite a stir. James and I barely noticed, as we were alternating between kissing and chatting about our plans for the summer. Suddenly there was a dignified cough behind me. I pulled away from James and turned. "Oh my god, Professor!"
"Shit," muttered James.
Professor Dumbledore looked amused. "No, Lily, I'm not a god, though it is certainly a compliment. And I am aware that you two are - friends. I am not here to strike fear in the entire Gryffindor common room," he said, glancing round and smiling. "I'm here to deliver this letter."
"Why didn't my owl bring it?" I asked.
"I believe your sister has a problem with owl post. She sent in the muggle way - luckily one of my contacts who works in muggle relations found out that she'd tried to post a letter to Hogwarts, and he confiscated it and forwarded it to me. It's about her wedding," he said conversationally.
I was surprised as I took out the letter and scanned it. "I assumed she wouldn't want me to go," I said.
"No, well it's not a proper invitation, is it?" James said, reading over my shoulder. "Looks like she had a last minute change of heart."
I nodded. "Funny, though, I thought it had already happened. They must have postponed again. Hey, look - she wants you to come." I pointed at a line at the bottom of the letter. 'I suppose you had better bring a friend, but please dress, act and talk normally.'
He laughed. "I doubt she actually wants me there after I put the Full Body Bind on her."
Professor Dumbledore raised his eyes to the ceiling. "I am temporarily deaf," he said.
James smiled. "It's OK, Professor, I was only trying to prove that magic did exist. Well, can we go? It's this weekend - this weekend?!"
Professor Dumbledore nodded. "Certainly. I agree it is short notice. James, you do have a suit of some description, don't you?"
James looked amused. "Yes, sir."
"Good. Well, enjoy it - remember, though, be careful. Good evening, everyone," he said, and then headed for the portrait hole.
"Professor Dumbledore just caught us kissing," I squeaked at last.
Eihwaz says thanks to everyone too, but she got my point last week! And also I think she thinks I'm mad with her. But I'm not. That goes to you too Invisible Voice :D I was just too hot and feeling irritable in tennis towards the end. Sorrrrry........ Hav fun on D of E Invisible Voice! Hee hee heeeeeeeeee... Anyway enuf personal note! On with the story.
Chapter 39
Life was improving. I had a steady - but exciting - boyfriend, I had my two best friends back, and being Head Girl was better than ever. The NEWTs were approaching, but not for another month or so. All that was blighting my happiness was the loss of my parents and therefore wondering what to do after school - and of course, the presence of Voldemort in the wizarding world, but that never went away.
And so the weeks went by in a blur of revising and laughing with friends and James. The NEWTs arrived - earlier than the OWLs, as we were to receive our results before the summer holidays. I was hoping for Outstanding in Charms, Arithmancy and Herbology at least, and Exceeds Expectations in Transfiguration and Astronomy. I had achieved Outstanding in everything but Potions at OWL level, but I thought that might be a bit much to hope for now.
This time I did not mind that at the end of each shared exam I could feel James watching me. We had developed a code of coughing - two coughs for 'this is easy' and three for 'this is impossible!' - and both of us were doing all right.
"This is a bit different to fifth year, isn't it?" I remarked after the Charms exam. Juliet and Rebecca were sitting on one side of me, Sirius, Remus and Peter on the other. James was lounging with his head in my lap.
"Not very," he replied, not opening his eyes. "We're still by the lake, and if I saw rightly earlier, Snape's near us again."
I glanced round. "Well, you're not going after him."
Sirius coughed. "Am I allowed?"
"You wouldn't, without James," I pointed out. "Anyway, J, everything else is different. That time, if I remember, you were sitting glancing at all the girls and playing with that Snitch."
"And ruffling up your hair," Juliet added.
He laughed. "I was glancing at you," he said.
"Aw, how sweet," mocked Sirius.
Remus shook his head. "You're so unromantic, Padfoot."
"And you're not?"
He shrugged. "I think I could be. You know perfectly well why I don't bother, so let's change the subject."
Unexpectedly, Sirius nodded. "Fine. Hey, James, sit up."
James groaned and pushed himself upright. "What?"
"Do you see what I see?"
James narrowed his eyes. "That is grotesque!"
I leaned forward. "What is?"
He pointed. Snape appeared to be doing exercises of some kind. "Er, James, he's only doing press ups."
Sirius shuddered. "It's the connotations I have a problem with."
I rolled my eyes. "Do you think of nothing else?"
"Nope. Well, that's a lie, actually, I think about pranking Snape, and I even considered repainting my lounge, the other day."
I couldn't help smiling.
"Won't your parents mind?" asked Juliet.
His eyes narrowed. "Don't live with them," he said shortly. "I have my own flat."
She looked surprised. "Oh. I didn't know. Sorry."
He grinned. "Don't be sorry. I intend it being very useful, having my own place when I leave school. Unlike Jamsie, who's staying at home... how sweet."
James glared at him. "You were perfectly happy to stay at my home when it was useful to you."
Sirius flinched. "Thanks."
"That was a bit below the belt, mate," Remus said.
James pulled a face. "Sorry."
Sirius waved a hand. "It's OK. So what are the rest of you doing?"
"Getting a place together," Juliet, Rebecca and I said.
"Staying at home," Remus said, "until I can buy a house somewhere."
"Peter?"
"I don't really know."
"Oh." Sirius grinned. "Staying at home, then." He turned back to us. "You're flat sharing, then?"
We nodded. It was something we had decided when the three of us became close friends again.
He smirked. "Lucky you, Juliet and Rebecca. You'll have to put up with it when James comes round. Make sure you have separate bedrooms."
James and I gaped at him, and he snorted with laughter. "Only joking, I know Lils wouldn't do that until marriage."
Now I began to flush. Clearly Sirius did not know. Remus began to smile knowingly as Juliet and Becky giggled. "I think Prongs may have a secret from you at last, Padfoot," he said.
"What?" Sirius frowned, and James grabbed my hand.
"Let's go," he said quickly, and we began walking hurriedly away. We were far enough away to escape when comprehension dawned.
"HEY! Hey, Prongs, get back here!"
James grinned. "And now we run," he said.
I was very glad that I hadn't been there when Sirius finally did corner James, but I had to bear his grins all the same. Now the exams were over, even classes didn't exist to get away from him in.
"Oh well," James sighed, "it's nearly June."
"Only halfway through May, actually; we don't break up until July," I reminded him.
"He'll get over it. He was just surprised. Though I have to say I was pretty surprised to be ambushed by a mad thing who stole my wand, levitated me and tied me in a curtain before proceeding to try and force feed me truth potion."
I smiled. That was Sirius, all right.
"No, actually, it was Snape," James said casually. "He'd overheard Sirius asking me, and wanted to know. I told Sirius with no problems."
I gaped.
"Only joking," he admitted. "Yeah, it was Padfoot."
Luckily, a distraction came in the form of a letter that evening. Professor Dumbledore himself delivered it to the common room, causing quite a stir. James and I barely noticed, as we were alternating between kissing and chatting about our plans for the summer. Suddenly there was a dignified cough behind me. I pulled away from James and turned. "Oh my god, Professor!"
"Shit," muttered James.
Professor Dumbledore looked amused. "No, Lily, I'm not a god, though it is certainly a compliment. And I am aware that you two are - friends. I am not here to strike fear in the entire Gryffindor common room," he said, glancing round and smiling. "I'm here to deliver this letter."
"Why didn't my owl bring it?" I asked.
"I believe your sister has a problem with owl post. She sent in the muggle way - luckily one of my contacts who works in muggle relations found out that she'd tried to post a letter to Hogwarts, and he confiscated it and forwarded it to me. It's about her wedding," he said conversationally.
I was surprised as I took out the letter and scanned it. "I assumed she wouldn't want me to go," I said.
"No, well it's not a proper invitation, is it?" James said, reading over my shoulder. "Looks like she had a last minute change of heart."
I nodded. "Funny, though, I thought it had already happened. They must have postponed again. Hey, look - she wants you to come." I pointed at a line at the bottom of the letter. 'I suppose you had better bring a friend, but please dress, act and talk normally.'
He laughed. "I doubt she actually wants me there after I put the Full Body Bind on her."
Professor Dumbledore raised his eyes to the ceiling. "I am temporarily deaf," he said.
James smiled. "It's OK, Professor, I was only trying to prove that magic did exist. Well, can we go? It's this weekend - this weekend?!"
Professor Dumbledore nodded. "Certainly. I agree it is short notice. James, you do have a suit of some description, don't you?"
James looked amused. "Yes, sir."
"Good. Well, enjoy it - remember, though, be careful. Good evening, everyone," he said, and then headed for the portrait hole.
"Professor Dumbledore just caught us kissing," I squeaked at last.