Chapter 13 is out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Dose the Happy Frodo Chicken Dance) I love chicken dances. Currently I am dreading the homecoming football game tomorrow, so I need an outlet and I figured I ought to catch up on my fic. I thank all of you who are still reading. Thank you. (Bows down on knees).

I figured I ought to go ahead and say this, but there is SOME logic in my title, A Rose Among Thorns. You all know that James gave Lily a rose that would live forever, and I said in the summary that in midst of all chaos they fell in love, well say that their love represents the rose and chaos represents the thorns; Get it know? A Love Among Chaos. Well at least I understood the symbolism. And if you have seen the movie Adolescence Apocalypse, the Utena movie, you know that a significant theme is roses, thus why I am incorporating the song Toki Ni ai waa from that movie into my story. The use of lilies in J/L fanfiction is so overused so I thought I would use a rose instead. Roses are my favorite flowers (black are my ultimate fav, black and white roses). Also thanks to the person who noted my crappy grammar and spelling in the previous chapter. I am sorry about that, I was in such a hurry to get it done I got lazier than I should have. I re-read some parts of it, and hooly friggan goat ballz (MY phrase, no stealing), the grammar and spelling was bad. I mean very bad. I mean... (Well you get the idea).

Disclaimer: Everything is property of J.K. Rowling, the literary mastermind who is holding all of America/Britain/Japan in suspense waiting for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I own Anthy, Amberle, Professor Lantis, and any other characters you don't recognize. If you say I own it, I will kick your ass from here to Timbuktu.

Just found out that Warner Bros. IS in fact including the Yule Ball in the movie, so I am excited about that. I love that scene in Goblet of Fire. It is so funny how jealous Ron gets and him not even realizing he is jealous of Viktor. Hermione and Ron do make a sweet couple, but I still think that Hermione and Victor would work out too (dodges tomatoes from R/H fans). Has anyone actually seen a picture of the guy who is playing Krum? I haven't and I have been looking everywhere. The dude that is playing Cedric is HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean really hot. Steam coming out of your ears hot. Of course, nothing compared to Alan Rickman, but still, he is pretty good.

I think all realize my little hints about Anthy that I put in every four or five chapters, and most of you have figured it out, so I am going to stop beating around the bush with her character. If you have no clue about what I am saying, don't worry it will make a whole lot more sense in the next 3-5 chapters.

WARNING: This is the chapter that explains why I upped the rating. There is a flashback scene in which Lily and James get very intimate. Don't like, don't read. I am warning you know. It will, as always, be marked by the flash back signs and you can skip that if that sort of material offends you. Nothing significant happens with the plot, so you can skip it without feeling more lost than a 90 year-old man on a cane looking for his Viagra.

XVIVX

Before anyone knew it, it was time to go back to Hogwarts. Lily, for once, did not want to go back to Hogwarts. She just wanted to stay with James forever and not have to return to the school, but unfortunately reality had its last word. That morning Lily woke up to a note beside her bed. It was from James saying that he left early to meet with his parents before The Hogwarts Express left. Lily sighed; it was all for the better, after all with James' disorganization and his lack of knowledge of muggle transportation it would be the best thing if he wasn't around. Lily was somewhat grudging going back to school because then it would mean facing Professor Lantis, Snape and all the other Slytherins. Not to mention she and James had a lot of work to do for the Graduation Ball. The Graduation Ball was the main thing that Lily was dreading for several reasons. When Dumbledore had explained to them their duties he mentioned that the Head Boy and Girl were to do the opening dance. Of course, at the time Lily was sickened at the thought at dancing with James, but that was four months ago, 'amazing how feelings change,' she thought. But now that she realized how she felt about James Lily began to worry about controlling herself around him. Things were becoming harder and harder to keep under control. And the thought of dancing with him in close contact was frightening. Lily was sure that her parents knew by then the real relationship between her and James, which explained why they so often left the pair alone. It was as if they were encouraging them to have sex! That thought alone mortified Lily, and she chose to keep the thought in the deepest black pit of her head.

For the rest of the day Lily was fighting with herself about the idea. Around 10-o-clock she lost all thought of James and became more absorbed in getting to Kings Cross Station on time. Lily lived a half an hour from the station, and traffic was bound to be a nightmare. Luckily her parents had thought ahead and were waiting in car at 10:15. The journey was boring and monotonous. All thoughts of everything were erased as the scene of muggle London zoomed by Lily. She arrived at King's Cross with just 10 minutes to spare. In a rush Lily heaved her heavy trunk into Platform 9 ¾. Lily took her usual seat near the front of the large scarlet train, waiting for the arrival of Dorcas and Anthy. It was strange for Anthy to be late, because she was normally the one to come early, while Dorcas to get there just in the nick of time. Lily brushed the thought aside, after all everyone was late at one point or another in their life.

With only five minutes to go, Dorcas and Anthy burst through the door as if they had been running for hours. Dorcas came wearing normal muggle clothing, including a pair of jeans and black sweat shirt. Anthy too wore normal muggle clothing, a long black skirt, black sweater, but with black cloak. It gave off the appearance of Anthy as being gothic, with her long dark hair and pale complexion. Lily often envied Anthy in terms of how she looked. Anthy was always considered the "beautiful" one of Lily's group because of her dark appearance. Dorcas too had her own unique look, but hers was more along the lines of "don't screw with me, or I'll beat your ass". "Hey, what kept you two?" Lily said.

"If you knew, you would be sickened," Dorcas sighed.

"Yes you would," Anthy added in her soft voice. "As we got to the Platform we ran into Bellatrix Black and her group," she added.

"You mean Bellatrix Black and her group of idiots," Dorcas spat.

"Yeah, your right. Idiots describe them much better," Anthy said.

"Enough on how to classify that bitch and her gang. I think we all know that they are too foul for words, "Lily said. Anyone, down to the youngest muggle-born first year knew that Bellatrix was nothing but large pile of pond scum. 'No,' Lily thought, ' they are lower than pond scum. Lower than the amebas that makes up pond scum,' she said bitterly to herself. Bellatrix had called Lily a mudblood more times than even Snape, or Lucious Malfoy while he was still at school (A/N: In OotP, it was said that Malfoy was 41, and Rowling said in her National Book Day Interview that Snape was 35, and we know that James and Snape are the same age, so that means that Lucious had already graduated school and is seven years older than the Marauder generation).

"Too true. In any case, we were just getting on to the platform when that bitch came up and started calling you a whore," Dorcas said. "So Anthy and I err...corrected her on calling you a whore. Then Snape came up," Dorcas softly gagged at the sound of Snape's name, "and said that Potter has been staying at your place. We told him to go kiss a Death Eater's ass. So then, being the little slime-ball that he his, Snape drew his wand, along with Bellatrix's entire group. Anthy and I drew out our wands. Just as we were about to kick their arse the train conductor announced that the gates would close if we didn't hurry up and get on. So that is why we are late," Dorcas finished, moving a piece of stray hair from her face.

"So what's all this about you and Potter," Anthy asked. Rumors had been going though the school like wildfire for months. Even during Christmas brake, Anthy had heard rumors at Diagon Alley and the other places she visited.

"Is it true that that yank spent Christmas at your house," Dorcas questioned eagerly,

That time Lily blushed so red that her hair and face seemed to blend in with each other. She still hadn't said a word to Anthy, Dorcas or Amberle about how she felt with James. Lily just figured that as smart as the three were, and for as long as they have known Lily, with the exception of Amberle, that they would have gotten the hint between them. 'Apparently not,' Lily thought to herself. "Well yes..," she murmured.

"WHAT?!" Dorcas and Anthy shouted at the same time.

"It wasn't as if I invited him," Lily said quickly. "He just showed up and my parents wanted him to stay so he did. Nothing happened. Trust me," Lily explained to the best of her ability, without giving too much away.

"What has been going on between you and Potter lately? It seems that you two have gone from hating the other's existence for six years and then suddenly going out with him. I know that you can sometimes be spontaneous, but not with Potter," Dorcas said. Dorcas wasn't for or against the Marauders. She would often laugh at their jokes, especially on the Slytherins, but she disliked it when they played a particular joke on her. That very thing had happened in Dorcas' third year when they bewitched her potions homework to scream insults, in a high pitched opera-like voice, when the teacher would grade it. Needless to say, Professor Lantis was not pleased at all. Dorcas received four weeks worth of detentions due to that, and she blamed it all on the Marauders. However she did not loath them as Lily once did, and still laughed at their jokes. She just didn't want herself to be the butt end of any joke. That incident was one of the few times that Lily had ever seen Dorcas loose her usually cool temper. The Marauders had a choice of death or confessing to Professor Lantis that they were the ones responsible, and they choose death. All four of them had been admitted to the Hospital Wing; Remus and Peter were seen three days later and neither would say what happened, while James and Sirius didn't return until nine days after with large purple warts growing on both of their faces. Apparently the school nurse couldn't figure out a cure for the curse that Dorcas had inflicted. It was only after all of Dorcas' detentions were over when the pair confessed and Dorcas fixed their faces.

"Not much. I just realized that he is not as much of an ass as I once thought him to be," Lily said, which wasn't a lie at all. She did realize that James was not a conceded ass who only cared for his own well being. Lily just preferred to keep it to herself as to how much she warmed up to James.

"And dose this 'not realizing his as much of an ass that you once thought him to be' have anything to do with snogging young Mr. Potter," Anthy said in her dark voice with an obvious tint of amusement.

"Where in hell did you hear that James and I were snogging," Lily blurted out. Surely no one could have seen (A/N: hint hint).

"Only three fourths of the wizarding race," was Anthy's reply.

"Well then three fourths of the wizarding race is misinformed," Lily said matter-of-factly. A guilty lurch in her stomach kept Lily from sounding 100 percent true. Telling a lie to Dorcas and Anthy was different than lying to Petunia or even a fellow Gryffindor, or a Slytherin for that matter. In a way Lily felt like she was betraying their trust when she lied to her best friends. Her two best friends were somewhat skeptical, but they seemed satisfied with the answer they got. The trio eventually began talking about their plans for the semester and Lily's mind reflected on the events of two days prior.

XIX (flashback. Ok kiddies and folks who don't want to read this part close your eyes/ears or skip ahead)

The sun was beginning to sink behind the pale golden clouds and Lily and James were sitting together watching the sun go down. They were both still in the woods next to Sirius' house and neither had any intention of leaving. Since the flying earlier that day Lily and James seemed a little closer than usual. James helped Lily get over the fear that had petrified her for six years, and he was glad to do it. Lily on the other hand found out that flying wasn't so bad, as long as you had a pair of strong arms to cling to. James was more than happy to be those strong arms. Sirius had no idea that Lily and James were still on the land surrounding his house. By the time the pair announced that they wanted to leave, James suggested that they fly back and Lily accepted. Two minutes into the air and James landed, much to Lily's confusion and pointed out the sunset. He suggested that they stay and watch it. The happy couple was sitting atop a steep hill that overlooking many miles.

As the time went by, Lily began to get somewhat drowsy and feel asleep with her head on James' shoulder. James smiled inwardly when he felt the gentle press of Lily's head against his shoulder. It felt like Lily trusted him wholly, even during her most vulnerable state of mind, when she slept. To James that was a sign of ultimate trust, something that James valued beyond bravery and playing jokes on Snape. When the sun was finally on the other side of the mountains and darkness had come James softly shook Lily to wake her up. "Lils, listen I think that we had better get going. It's dark already," he said softly.

"Already?" Lily said tiredly. "If that is the case then we should get going," Lily said as stood up and brushed the dirt off her pants. In that moment James couldn't help himself, and noticed how good of a body his Lily had. It was perfect.

"You're right. Tomorrow we leave for Hogwarts," James stood up as well and brushed himself off. He took his broom and mounted it while Lily took her seat in the back. The dark haired teenager could feel himself go rigid with Lily's closeness, but did his best to hide it. He turned back to meet Lily's eyes and said, "You ready?"

"Yes," Lily said softly, meeting his gaze. Lily pulled just a little bit closer to James' face but she was met head on with a full-blown passionate kiss from James. The initial shock left her speechless for a couple of seconds until she returned his kiss with equal intensity. Words could not describe how much she loved him. Even if Lily dared not say it, she knew that James knew how she felt and shared her feelings.

James didn't know what made him kiss Lily at such an inopportune moment, but he didn't care. He figured that it had to have been her alluring green eyes that had drawn him into it. Ever since that incident in the library James had desired the girl he held in his arms, but dared not say it or act out. But now everything seemed different and James didn't care. He held onto the gorgeous girl in his arms and he never wanted to let go, ever. She was his, and he was hers. That was just he way things were and James didn't want to fight it. He eventually lost all thought of the broom he was holding and dropped it to the ground with a thud. James didn't care. Slowly James pushed Lily to the ground and the pair soon found themselves on their back, or at least Lily did. But she didn't seem to mind; Lily had a mischievous grin on her face and took James' mouth for herself. Within seconds their tongues were performing dances inside the other's mouth. He heard Lily moan as his hands began to explore the uncharted territory of her chest.

As he slipping his fingers inside her shirt it felt as if he were touching winter cream, her skin was that soft. James had always imagined that her skin would feel that soft. His hand slipped further and further down until he reached the valley of Lily's full breaths. But just feeling them didn't seem to satisfy him enough and James soon maneuvered the shirt off of Lily, exposing her magnificent body. Of course her bra was still on but Lily helped remedy that as she undid the clip in the back and the white fabric fell to the ground. James soon began a trail of hot kisses down her neck which caused Lily to rock her head back in forth in pleasure. At the same time James took it upon himself to play with her nipples, and toy with her senses. The feeling was wonderful to both James and Lily. Once reaching her breasts James sucked on the right nipple which was hard. Lily moaned his name, "James" and in her own way pressed him further. With his left hand James was massaging and caressing her other breast until his mouth finished with her right one and went over to her left.

But Lily did get her fair share in too. While James was playing with her supple breasts, Lily had managed to get his shirt off, which was currently piled with her bra. He had a magnificent chest; each muscle was toned just right and his skin soft. Lily embraced it as James began to move from her breasts to southern territories. Their mouths were soon entangled in the same tongue wars but James' wandering hands made their way down to her jeans and played with the button and zipper to get them lose. With that done he slowly slipped them off and his fingers slithered their way into her. Lily gasped and moaned his name even louder as he stuck a digit in. James was obviously enjoying the reaction he got out of Lily for he expanded his exploration. "James," she murmured.

XIX (END FLASHBACK. Aren't you all glad that I upped the rating to R. You all can look now. I never really indented it to be that graphic, but hey. And to think, you all thought that Narya was going to give you all a juicy lemon. Sorry, you aren't going to get anything along those lines out of me. This is as far as I go when it comes to my writing).

Lily was silent for a good majority of the way to Hogwarts. Dorcas and Anthy soon began a "remember when" conversation. Lily had been in so many of those she just decided to think things through, in terms of how she felt about James. She honestly never expected things to go so far, but then again she never expected to fall in love with James Potter, leader of the Marauders. Lily knew that Dorcas and Anthy figured out that she and James had feelings for each other, but they pair just didn't want to come out and say it. Lily was grateful for that. No doubt Amberle had come to the same conclusion. Even Americans were smart when it came to matters of the heart. But it didn't matter.

As the Hogwarts Express moved further and further North the day soon became night and Hogsmead village was soon in sight. Lily was glad when they would reach the castle and everything would return to normal, and she could get her mind back on lessons and not how she felt about James. After all, love for a person wouldn't get them a good job to pay the bills, or at least that is how Lily's mind worked. Even the distraction of Bellatrix Black and her group would be enough for Lily to get her mind off of James. Lily had a sneaking suspicion that James was feeling the same way because he had not approached her since. That in itself was unusual for James. Lily figured that because of her current feelings and the wanting to be alone transferred to James as well. Or at least so she thought. She could always be wrong. Even the school genius had failed an exam, which for Lily happened to be a Transfiguration Exam. Luckily for her Professor McGonagall offered a re-take.

VIV

Two compartments back Lily's suspicion was right for James too was silent a good most of the way to Hogwarts. It was obvious to the eye, or at least to Remus, Sirius and Peter that James had officially fallen for the tiger-lily. All three knew that their best friend was having trouble dealing with his feelings, but unless James brought it up himself, he did not want to talk about it, even to his best friends. Peter, being the dip shit that he was (A/N: sorry, I hate Peter) was dumb enough to bring it up as they were walking towards the carriages that would take them up to Hogwarts but all he got in response was, "Wormtail, shut up". Sirius and Remus were starting to become concerned about their friend; it was not like him to just lash out at someone, with the exception of Snape.

James didn't know what was wrong with his head. All it had taken for him to lose control was the look in Lily's eyes that night. Luckily James had stopped everything before things went any further but later he was furious with himself for losing all control like that. How could he lose control like some sex-deprived boy? What if things had gone further and Lily had ended up pregnant or worse? The thought of how many things that could have gone bad scared him, and James was never scared. How could caring so much about one girl scar the infamous ring-leader of the Marauders? Nothing made sense anymore, and James just hoped that with the return of school he would get his mind back on normal things, like homework and cursing Snape or what the four friends planned to do the next full moon.

After dinner had ended everyone went back up to their dorms but James chose to stay in the Common Room for a while. He saw Lily going back up the steps with her friends and gave his flower a slight smile, to which she returned. When everyone was gone James sat on his favorite chair next to the fire and just sat there and thought about his feelings for Lily. Half and hour later James heard footsteps coming from the boy's dormitory stairs and looked up to see none-other than Sirius. His best friend took a seat next to James and asked straight out, "James what's wrong? You have been acting really weird, not talking on the train and then lashing out at Peter. We are all worried about you," Sirius said with a concerned look on his face.

James sighed and gave up faking that everything was alright. He knew that lying to Sirius was impossible. Besides maybe talking things out was just better and it would help him. "It's kind of a long story," James said truthfully.

"I could have guessed. I take it this long story of yours has a lot to do with our Miss Evans," Sirius said.

"You got it Padfoot," James replied.

"We all know that you are crazy about her, Prongs. It is obvious in the way you look at her or talk to her. But I feel that the biggest question is how did it all get that way?" Sirius inquired.

"It seemed all so fast, I am not even sure how it all happened. I mean, you all know how I felt and I like and idiot, made that especially clear that day in our fifth year. But my feelings have become much stronger. Ever since this year I don't know what has happened. I guess I realized how much she meant to me when that bastard son-of-a-bitch, Lestrange, attacked her on the way to detention. And then I realized it even more when she went out with me in Hogsmead," James went on.

"James, that is obvious to us. We all know that part of the story. You have been acting different ever since you two left my house. What happened?'

"Well as we were flying back she stopped me and said that she wanted to watch the sunset. And well...things sort of progressed from there. I stopped it before things went too far but somehow that doesn't feel like I did enough..." James trailed on.

"Man, you got it bad," Sirius said.

"Got what bad," James asked in puzzlement.

"Oh come on, you love her. I know it as well as you do, and so dose Remus and Peter. We all know it. I wouldn't be surprised if most the school knows it. I say most because those asses in Slytherin are so dense they wouldn't know it if they saw you two snogging right in front of the library," Sirius said as if was the most obvious matter in the world. "I know that she cares about you too. Her friend Amberle has told me that Lily cares for you. And really, if you think of her personality you know that she had to feel pretty damned strong about you if she allowed you to touch her in that way," Sirius finished.

James knew that Sirius had hit the nail right on the head, but didn't say anything. His friend realized that and went on, "You just have to give things time. By this time next week everything will have blown over and you two will be a pair of happy love-birds again," Sirius said. As if that was all he had to say on the mater, Sirius yawned and went back up to his dorm. James chose to stay in the Common Room for a while longer and let himself absorb what his best friend had just said.

"Sirius is right. All we need is time," he said to himself. Then James found himself yawning and went back up to his dormitory where a four-poster bed with crimson sheets was calling his name.

XVIVX

END CHAPTER. Well how was that for ya? I rather like it. I must be going because I have a futon bed with Japanese sheets calling my name cause I am tired.

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FYI, right now I have posted the first chapter of another fanfiction called A Tale of Ages. It is a Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon fic. And yes now I am going to be juggling both fictions back and forth but this one will have the top priority because of how long I have been working on it. I WILL FINISH THIS. If you want to read it go ahead, I would be happy if you did and left me a review. Lol. For more information on my progress on both stories check out my Live-Journal account. The link can be found under my homepage in my profile