Motivation
James, Sirius and Remus closed the library door behind them and removed the invisibility cloak. Remus rushed down an isle in the restricted section and looked at a book entitled Do Not Read. It was glowing green.
"This is the wrong one so this must be the right one." He said, pointing to a book with Nicht Sie Lesen printed in silver writing. He tapped the book with his wand and whispered some words in a foreign language. James thought it sounded German but didn't understand what he'd said. What ever Remus had muttered had worked. The book jumped off the shelf and landed on the floor. It then turned into what looked like a trap door. Remus opened it and was about to jump it when Sirius grabbed his shoulder.
"Stay here, Mooney. If something goes wrong down there, I want you up here figuring out how to get me back." Sirius gave Remus a pat on the back and he took a step back. He watched as Sirius and James jumped down into the dark hole and waited anxiously. He was relieved when the top of a ladder appeared at the opening and Sirius's head followed several minutes later. He was carrying Frank over his shoulder. Remus reached out to help him and soon Frank was resting against a bookshelf, eyes barely open. James then climbed out of the hole, carrying with him a pile of books and papers. He put them down and closed the trap door. As soon as he did, the door turned back into the book and disintegrated, but when they looked up at the shelf it's silver letters shone down on them. James wondered vaguely if they should add this room to their map.
"I'm so hungry." Frank groaned. Remus conjured up a plate of food and fed it to the weak Frank. Soon Frank had gained enough energy to stand up so they draped the invisibility cloak over him and told him to go to his dorm.
"We'll see you tomorrow." Remus assured him. They listened carefully to his footsteps and when they could no longer hear they turned around and went in the opposite direction towards the owlery. They had decided to go ahead with the party. It was unfair for Frank to go through all he had been through for no reason.
When they reached the owlery, Sirius attached a letter to his black owl and said, "Take this to Renord Fillyrink." The large owl flew from the owlery and into the sunrise. The Marauders watched it fly further and further away until it was nothing more than a speck in the distance.
Remus and James turned and began to leave but Sirius remained where he was standing, staring out at the morning sky.
"Padfoot, you coming?" James asked. He didn't reply. "Padfoot." James said loudly and Sirius jumped and turned to the staring Remus and James.
"Oh, sorry. In my own world." He paused. "Kim is a really good friend."
"Yeah, she is." James agreed.
"She kissed Snape. Was that for us?"
James and Remus exchanged looks. They knew what was going through Sirius' head. He had just realised what they had realised a long time ago.
"Remind me to thank her." Sirius said and joined his friends as they walked out the door.
"I think you'll remember, Padfoot." Remus said with a smile.
"We owe her big time." James said with a nod. "Lets take her out tonight, Shout her some butter beers or something."
"Can't." Remus said. "Wolf night tonight."
"Yeah. Well some other time for sure." Sirius said, perhaps a little too enthusiastic. James gave a laugh and thought a happy thought. He and his friends had not only developed a relationship so strong that they were like brothers, but now they were forming relationships with girls. Real relationships…and he had been first.
That night, Lily walked down to the Whomping Willow with James, Sirius and Peter. She stayed there for a few hours after they had joined Remus. She was just sitting, thinking. Thinking of James mostly. And what he had said. He had pretty much told her he loved her. She didn't know if she had the courage to say that to him. She thought she did…love him, but she didn't feel right when she said it out loud.
"I love James Potter. James, who I love…James loves me…" It sounded so much better. "James loves me. Do I love James?"
She watched the clouds as they covered the moon and then moved across the dark, grey sky and let out a sigh. She did love him, but she didn't want him to know just yet. She didn't want to tell him until the perfect moment.
So for the next few days, while James concentrated on his Quidditch match against Hufflepuff, Sirius concentrated on how he would cause havoc after they won the Quidditch game, Remus concentrated on catching up with his work and Peter concentrated on standing upright, Lily found herself not being able to concentrate on anything…except James. She knew she would have to tell him soon or she never would. She just needed the motivation.
