It's a QuietVillage
"Little town, it's a quiet village. Every day like the one before."
"Ready, guys?" Lily asked, tucking in the end of her scarf.
"Mmmf," said Asper, who was struggling with her boot.
"Hurry up," said Esedora, tying back her long hair.
"You're not looking forward to this or anything, are you?" teased Lily.
"Ready!" said Asper triumphantly. "Let's get down there."
They met up with the three Mauraders in the Great Hall. As seventh years, they weren't bound to the same regulations as the younger students regarding Hogsmeade. They headed to the village at their own leisurely pace, talking about nothing in particular.
"Where to first?" asked Lily absentmindedly.
"Let's get something to eat," suggested Sirius. "I don't think any of us have had lunch. Three Broomsticks?" The others agreed.
"Rosmerta, m'dear!" cried Sirius as they entered. "I don't suppose you could scrounge up a table for my friends and me?"
Rosmerta giggled and gestured to a table in the corner; Lily shuddered. James looked at her in alarm. "Could you get us a different one, please? That one, ah, you see… I don't care much for being in corners."
"Of course," said Rosmerta curiously, and brought them to a booth on the side of the room. Asper, Esedora, and Lily slid in on one side and the boys took the other.
James leaned over the table to talk to Lily. "Is that where you were when Dumbledore –"
"Yes," she mumbled, and looked away.
Soon they were delightfully stuffed. "Um, guys," said Asper, looking sheepish, "I kinda want to go to Zonko's…"
Sirius beamed. "Me too. Anyone else?"
James shook his head. "Got a package from my cousin this morning."
"I was hoping to go to Honeydukes," said Remus.
"I'll go with you," said Esedora. "I'm dying for a sugar quill."
By the next minute, Lily and James had been abandoned at their table. Lily sighed. "Marvelous."
"Oh, come on, being with me can't be that bad," he said, and gave her such a sad puppy-dog look that she couldn't help but smile.
"I'll survive. Probably."
"Think of it as a Head Girl duty."
"How d'ya figure that?"
"Well," he shrugged, "surely this'll count somehow as discussing our responsibilities or something."
"This is about as responsible as you get," she retorted, but flashed a quick grin.
"So," said James. "Now what?"
"Got any place you want to go?"
"Not really."
"Me neither. Let's just wander around. Head towards the Shrieking Shack. Some of the shops have their Christmas displays up already."
"Bit early, isn't it?"
"Not really," said Lily. "The Muggles will have had them up for about a month already."
James laughed, earning him a quizzical glance. "Wait – you were serious?"
"Very," sighed Lily. "Gets a bit pathetic after a while."
"I can imagine," said James, and they stepped outside. A light flurry was beginning, giving the whole scene a cheerful innocence. Lily wrapped her coat around her more tightly.
"Cold?" asked James, attempting to move closer.
"No," she said stiffly. "I'm fine."
James rolled his eyes. "Snow's starting to come down a bit harder, isn't it."
"Yeah," she agreed, relaxing a bit. "Oh – let's go in here! I love the owls!"
They stepped inside the post office, grateful to get out of the wind. Lily fished an envelope out of her coat pocket. "Letter to my sister," she explained. "I figure I should at least try to be friendly." When Lily had selected an owl and posted her letter, the two set off again. They wandered toward the end of the lane, stopping to look in the windows of various stores, but the wind made conversation difficult.
"The storm's getting worse!" called James.
"What?" yelled Lily.
"I said the storm's getting worse!"
"You need a purse?"
"No," bellowed James in exasperation. "I said –"
"I know," shouted Lily, grinning. "We need to turn back."
Suddenly, the other end of the road seemed three times as far away. They struggled through the growing piles of snow and ever-increasing wind. By the time they got to The Three Broomsticks, it was clear that getting all the way back to the castle was not an option right now. Rosmerta opened a side door a crack and yelled that they could come in. When they did so, shaking out their hats and stomping their boots by the door, they discovered that many other people had taken refuge in the restaurant.
"Where're our friends?" James asked nervously.
Lily bit her lip. "I hope they're all right."
"Sonorus," said Rosmerta, directing her wand towards her throat. "All right," she said, her voice booming, causing everyone to look up and listen. "M' boss says y'all can stay here until the roads are good enough to leave, and you c'n all have a Butterbeer on the house." Cheers filled the room.
"It seems odd, somehow," Lily said, "that all these witches and wizards get stuck somewhere 'cause of snow."
"Look," James pointed out. "Most of 'em are families, so they can't Apparate 'cause of their kids. And we, of course, can't Apparate into Hogwarts. So there's really not much to be done."
Lily sighed. "Shall we go get that Butterbeer?"
"Let's wait," said James, eyeing the massive crowd pressing in on the counter. They caught a glimpse of a rather stressed looking Rosmerta. "At least until the crowd thins a little."
Time had passed more quickly than they thought. A glance at James' watch revealed that it was eight o'clock already, and several of the families were attempting to quiet their children enough to get them to sleep. Lily was sure she would never be able to sleep, it was so crowded.
"C'mon," said James, grabbing her hand and leading her through the hordes of people. "Let's find some breathing room."
They got to a clear area behind a booth, and Lily promptly distangled her hand from his. "Good call," she said. "I don't feel so claustrophobic back here."
James looked at her curiously. "What's claustro – claus – claustrowhat?"
"Muggle thing, I guess," she informed him. "It's a fear of small spaces."
"Why do Muggles name their fears with such long names?"
Lily shrugged.
"Besides," said James, looking around, "this isn't a small space."
"Yes, but –" began Lily, but gave up explaining as James looked confused enough already. She leaned her head against the back of the booth as Rosmerta came around with squashy purple pillows and blankets. The corners of James' mouth twitched.
"You stay over there," said Lily crossly.
"Fine, fine," said James, throwing up his hands in mock surrender. "I'll go grab us our Butterbeers."
"Thanks," came her muffled voice from under two blankets. James paused and surveyed the shivering lump of purple in front of him, then set off.
Lily lowered the blankets she was clutching enough to look around. She didn't see their friends anywhere.
James returned, Butterbeer in each hand, to find Lily biting her lip. "I bet the other stores have let people stay, like here," he said.
She looked up, startled that he knew what she was thinking about, and reached for the Butterbeer he held out. "Yeah, probably," she said, relaxing a little as she took a sip.
He settled down beside her, hands wrapped around his mug. "I think this is the best Butterbeer I've ever drunk in my entire life," he declared.
"And that's saying something," said Lily with a smile. She paused partway through taking another drink. "You haven't… done anything to this, have you?"
"Honestly, Lily," said James, "I can't imagine why you'd suspect innocent little me of such a thing. But no, I didn't. Doesn't exactly seem the time."
"Precisely," said Lily, and swallowed.
"Besides," continued James, "you've proven yourself to be a pretty good prankster yourself."
Lily grinned evilly. "Oh, you don't even know the half of it, Potter."
"That's what Sirius said," he told her, looking at her closely. "Care to elaborate?"
"Well," said Lily, setting down her now-empty mug and stretching, "d'ya remember when, back in fourth year, all the silverware at the Head Table got switched around, and Flitwick wasn't paying attention and tried to spear a piece of steak with his spoon? And McGonagall was talking to Dumbledore and didn't notice that she was trying to scoop up a grape with her knife?"
"Yeah," said James cautiously, remembering the guffaws that had broken out as the students watched.
"That was me."
James grinned. "They never did figure that one out, did they."
"Nope," said Lily in a very self-satisfied tone. "The trick to pranks, Potter, is to be sneaky. That's half the fun, when people can't figure out how it happened."
"Huh," said James. "Anything else you care to divulge?"
"A witch never reveals her secrets," said Lily, grinning slyly.
"Could I ask you something else then?"
"I guess so," said Lily suspiciously.
"One night in second year –"
"Second year?" interrupted Lily. "You honestly expect me to remember that far back? And to one night?"
This clearly hadn't occurred to James. "Um…you were wandering around. Past hours. And I was just wondering if you did that a lot, and, er, why."
An ashen look passed over Lily's face. "Yeah," she said slowly, "I do wander. Sometimes. I'd had a nightmare, I guess. And I can't go back to sleep."
"Oh," said James, unable to think of anything more helpful to say.
Lily shrugged it off. "Any more nosy questions?" she asked half-jokingly.
"Actually," he began, and Lily groaned. "Just the one," he assured her.
"Fine," Lily said resignedly. "What?"
"Well, it's about me –"
"Like everything else," she added.
"See, that's it. Why have you always disliked me so much? Other people haven't. Slytherins have, of course, but I've always doubted whether they are, in fact, people. So…I was just wondering."
"Sure you want an answer?" asked Lily, studying him. James looked as though maybe he didn't, after all, but nodded. "See, I'm talking to you now. Relatively without insults. And that's because you're not trying to impress anyone. I can't stand that. Like everyone has to think you're wonderful. Basically, you're full of yourself," she said bluntly.
"I used to be worse," he said.
She looked at him and softened a bit. "That's true. Merlin, Potter, you were the hugest jerk."
He winced. "I know. But Evans, honestly, aren't I better this year?"
"I guess," she conceded. "It's just hard for me to see. People have to earn my respect, and if they've been awful for five or six years, a couple good months aren't going to change that."
"But it could be changed."
"Yes," she said slowly, "I suppose it could."
There was a very uncomfortable pause.
"Can I ask you something?" asked Lily.
"Only fair," said James, relieved that the silence had been broken.
"During the Sorting. What did the hat say to you?"
"You remember that?"
"Yeah," said Lily, "you looked terrified."
"I wasn't terrified," grumbled James.
"Whatever. What'd the hat say?"
"That I was destined for great things," James said quietly. "But terrible things. Tragic things. And somehow great."
"The Hat told me," began Lily slowly, "that I was destined for great and terrible things, too. That I'd do well in Slytherin, but something held me back. What'd it tell your friends?" she asked, suddenly hopeful that perhaps this was normal.
James shrugged. "I don't know. I've never asked. What about your friends?"
"We've never talked about it," said Lily, studying her hands. "I don't like thinking about it."
"Me neither," said James, barely audibly.
The room was quieting down. Many children were settled off to sleep with their parents conversing in low, worried voices.
James felt something bump against his side. "Wha –" It was a little girl, who looked to be about two. Tears were beginning to fill her large brown eyes.
"Are you lost?" asked Lily gently, having noticed her standing there. The girl nodded, lower lip quivering.
"What's your name?" asked James in the same tone.
The child said in a tiny voice, "Ella."
"Well, Ella," continued James, "why don't you come with us, and I'm sure we can find your parents. Okay?"
Ella nodded, and as James and Lily rose, raised her arms. James looked mildly surprised, then scooped her up. She settled against his shoulder, grabbed a fistful of his hair for security, and closed her eyes.
"What do we do?" asked James, looking a little panicked now that he was holding a sleeping, lost child.
"I'm sure her parents are looking for her," Lily pointed out. "Let's go to the counter."
They worked their way through the masses of people and blankets, James holding onto Ella more tightly to keep her from falling. They were halfway there when a woman with brown curls and glasses dashed up. "Ella!" she cried, both waking her daughter up and earning her glares from some parents who had just gotten their children off to sleep. "Thank you," whispered Ella's mother. Ella looked around sleepily and tumbled into her mother's arms. "Where did you find her?" she asked, arms wrapped protectively around her daughter, who was once again asleep.
"Over there," said Lily, pointing to the far booth.
"I thought she was asleep, and I dashed into the bathroom," said her mother distractedly. "And when I came back she was gone…" She bit her lip.
"She's fine," said James reassuringly. "She couldn't have gotten far."
"No," she said, "no, I suppose not. Well, thank you. Thank you so much. I'd better get her back to bed now."
"No problem," said James uneasily. "Night."
Lily found herself yawning as they made their way back to their spot. "What time is it?" she asked.
"About ten," said James, glancing at his watch.
"Guess I'm just tired from the walk, then," she said sheepishly.
"Me too," said James as they arrived at their respective piles of blankets.
Lily took hers and edged against a wall. "James?" she whispered.
"Yeah?" he responded, having drawn his blankets around him by the opposite wall.
"That was really sweet of you," she said sleepily, "with Ella and all."
James stared at her, finally coming to the conclusion that Butterbeer and extreme tiredness were not a good combination and, in fact, made one say things one normally would never dream of saying. "Thanks," he said finally, but Lily was asleep.
Someone was screaming. "Run! I'll hold him off! Lily, run!"
The room spun wildly; green light was everywhere. Laughter, high and cold, sending chills through her body. Her child! She had to protect him, had to save him. She ran. "It's ok," she said, breathless, "it's ok, Mommy's here." Cradling him in her arms. "Sh, it's ok, it's ok –" The terror grew. Voices swirled in her ears, crashes becoming louder – "No!" she screamed. And everything was dark, but the screaming went on.
Lily woke and heard her own voice.
James had woken instantly, and leapt to her side. "Sh, it's ok," he said, wrapping his arms around her in an attempt to quiet her. "It was just a dream, Lily, you're awake now, it's all right. It was just a dream. You're okay. You're safe."
Lily looked up at him, eyes wide. "He killed you."
"Who killed me?" asked James, mystified.
"I don't know," whispered Lily, shuddering. "I never know. And there's nothing I could do."
"You're shaking," murmured James, grabbing an extra blanket. "It's all right now. It was just a dream."
"It wasn't," said Lily, burying her face in his shoulder.
"Of course it was," said James soothingly. "Try and go back to sleep." He made to go back to his spot.
"Don't leave me," said Lily, grabbing onto his arm.
"I won't," he said quietly. "I'll stay right here."
Lily relaxed her grip on his arm and leaned against his chest. He could feel her breathing beginning to slow and grow steadier, but he didn't dare to move. Instead, he propped a pillow behind his head and stared into the darkness.
Time passed. He fell into an uneasy sleep, but was woken by a hand shaking his shoulder. He blinked sleepily into the face of Dumbledore.
"Come with me," whispered Dumbledore. "We're moving the students back to the castle."
"What time is it?" mumbled Lily, who had awoken.
"Three," said Dumbledore. "I apologize for the hour, but we wanted to get everyone back safely as quickly as possible."
Suddenly alert, James asked, "Have you seen –"
"Yes," said Dumbledore, knowing what he was going to ask. "Your friends are safe. They made it back to the castle before the storm began. Let's get you back now."
They stumbled outside, where the storm of the night before had subsided into a few flakes. They could see other teachers leaving various shops with students in tow.
"Minerva, have you got Auriga? Good, good, it looks like everyone's accounted for," said Dumbledore. He summoned a carriage, and the sleepy students made their way back to the castle.