A.N. / Hope you all like the first chapter. Read and Review!!!
Sable

Time after Time

Chapter 2

Lily laughed at this, and laughed and laughed. James thought she might have just gone insane, because she just wouldn't quit laughing. She was laughing so hard James thought she was going to pee in her pants. "Lily are you okay?" James asked worrying about her sanity.

Lily's laughs slowly started subsiding and finally she could breathe correctly. "Why would you volunteer yourself to go to a funeral of someone you don't even know?"

"So you can have a shoulder to cry on, when you get upset. So you can show your sister up, and tell her you're not a loser…because you DO have a boyfriend and he came to the funeral with you.

"Potter, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to date you."

"I know that Lily, it's pretend. Just to show your sister up, and when you're upset you can cry on my shoulder."

"Okay," Lily said. "But, what do you get out of this?"

"To hold your hand the whole time, and be there for you."

"You can't kiss me."

"I figured that much," James sighed. "I know you hate me, and I know that you don't ever want to date me. I know you've been hurt a lot."

"What?!" Lily yelled, James jumped back. He'd been on such a good streak, she hadn't yelled at him in about an hour now. "How do you know I've been hurt a lot. Did Cassie tell you anything?"

"She told me your sister is awful to you, and that you don't trust a lot of people," James said telling half a lie. There was no way he was going to bring up Stoyan Krum. "I see the pain in your eyes. I remember when we started our first year, your eyes were so sparkly and beautiful. Their still beautiful…but the sparkle is gone…I can just tell that your hurting inside."

"James," Lily said surprised that James could actually be a normal human being. "I've never heard you talk so sweetly…and not think about yourself."

James chuckled, "Yes, I'm even surprising myself. So what do you say?"

"Okay deal. You can go to my Grandmother's funeral with me. I guess we should go inform Dumbledore."

James looked down at his watch, "Wrong."

"What do you mean wrong?"

"Lily, it's after 9 o'clock…we're past our curfew."

"Oh no!" Lily cried, "I can't remember that spell to make myself invisible!"

"If you promise not to tell a soul, I can get you back invisible…you'll just have to stand really close to me."

"Why?" Lily asked thinking the obnoxious James was coming back. "Potter, if you want this as part of the deal of you coming with me forget our deal!"

"No, no Lily!" James tried to calm her down, "I have an invisibility cloak." James raised it up and Lily was in awe. "Sometime I fit three or even four of us Marauders in here." Lily was still eyeing the admirable cloak, "So you promise not to tell a soul?"

Lily nodded, "I promise."

Back in Gryffindor Common Room…

Sirius looked up at the clock above the fireplace, it was almost eleven. Cassie had gone up to bed thirty minutes ago. "Prongs where are you?" Sirius asked, James had never been gone for so long just to snog a girl. "I'm going to go take a shower and then come back down here to see if James finally showed up." Sirius said to himself.

Underneath the Cloak…

"What is that paper in front of you?" Lily asked trying to see over his shoulder.

"You can't see it, it's a secret." James said trying to hide it.

Lily stopped and the cloak almost fell off the two of them. "What are you doing?!" James hissed at her.

"Stopping."

"Yes, I've noticed. But, why are you stopping?"

"You know my secrets…."

"Not all…"

"You won't know all, Potter." 'Great,' James sighed. Just minutes ago he was James…now they were back to surnames.

"What bugging you Lily?"

"You know about my family, tell me about that paper." James looked around, Filch was walking right towards them

"We need to hide somewhere quick, and then I'll tell you. The cloak makes us invisible, but we're still a solid."

"Oh, no!" Lily was afraid now, she'd never gotten a detention in her whole life. "What are we to do…there's no rooms around."

James spotted one, "There!" James pointed, "But, we're going to have to turn around without Filch hearing us." They began to turn around and went in the only door they saw.

Once James closed the door, Lily hissed in his ear. "This is really small place."

"Yeah, I know…it's a broom closet."

"What?!" She gave him the most evil eyes James had ever seen.

"I didn't know until we got in here, I swear. It was really dark in the hallway, you can't deny it. And there was no where else for us to go, Filch would have gotten us. Would you rather be in a broom closet with me or get detention 'Miss I've-Never-Had-Detention-In-My-Entire-Life.'"

"Okay, okay. You're right," she sighed. "How much longer do we have to stay?"

"Look here," James sighed and showed her the map. "This is what I was looking at, this is what you wanted to see.

"It's a map of the school! Oh my! That's us…exactly where we are…where did you buy this?"

"Didn't. Sirius, Peter, Remus, and I made it. Um..Okay. Remus, Sirius, and I made it. Peter just watched. But, you've got to swear never to tell anyone."

"I swear," Lily said.

"I mean it Lily. If the other Marauders knew I told you, they'd kill me. If you tell anyone…I'll tell someone your secret."

"That's completely rude! Mine is sacred!"

"Yes, and mine could get the four of us kicked out of school."

"Fine," Lily huffed. She hated losing…especially to James Potter. Lily looked down at the map, "Hey! He's gone! He's downstairs now. So can we leave? I need to take a shower and write my mum back."

James was confused, "Didn't the letter say not to write back."

"Yes, but that was my sister. I assure you my mum will want to hear from me, and I have to tell her you're coming too."

"Wait?" James looked at her, "You're actually going to let me come?"

"Umm…didn't we already go through this?"

"Well, yes. But, Lily I thought you were just saying that so I'd leave you alone."

"Well," Lily looked up at him, and James felt himself go into jelly. Those eyes of hers just made him melt inside. "Like I said before, if you don't want to come, don't."

"No, I do Lily. I swear it."

Lily smiled at him, there was a little twinkle in her eyes and James felt his heart begin to race. "You know James, you can really be sweet sometimes." James felt himself blush.

"Thanks, you do realize you called me James again and not Potter."

"Oh…I did, didn't I?" She giggled. "Let's get out of here, the funk is making me be all loopy." James nodded, he couldn't disagree with her…she was acting like herself…but then again it could be with all the things going on with her.

When they got back to Gryffindor Tower, James took the cloak off of them, it was now eleven thirty. James tucked the cloak into his pocket and he sat in an arm chair by the normal couch they all flocked to. Lily sat on the couch. "You're not going to bed?" James asked her.

"No, I can't. I'm really not that tired right now. I need to write my mum, but I don't feel like going up stairs and getting a quill and some parchment." Lily yawned and muttered, "Accio Supplies!" Instantly her quill, ink, and parchment came to her. James and Lily sat in silence as she wrote to her mother. Finally, Lily said, "There! I'm finished. Accio Owl!" Her owl flew threw a window and sat very still as Lily tied the letter to her. "Bring this to Mum fast, and don't let Petunia get it…only Mum. Don't leave until Mum is done writing me back, okay?" The owl hooted in a way of saying 'Yes.'"

"So when do you want to go talk to Dumbledore about us both leaving Friday?" Lily asked turning to James.

"I guess tomorrow right before breakfast is over, he's usually in his office."

"How would you know that?"

"I'm always there." James grinned.

"Oh, yeah, how could I forget? What if he's not there yet?"

"Then we'll wait for him, and he'll write us a pass to class."

"Alright," Lily got up and started walking toward the Girls' staircase, James followed her and stopped her.

"Going to bed?"

"Yes, doesn't it look like that's where I'm going?"

"Oh, yeah sorry." James apologized, and then Lily realized she was being rude. James was being a sweetheart by being there for her. Maybe she did need to at least try to be friends with him.

"No, James it's my fault. I shouldn't be so rude…"

"No, Lily. You're under a lot of pressure. I promise I will be a gentleman with you while we're down for your Grandmother's funeral. I won't try anything."

"Just holding hands?" Lily asked.

"Yes, just holding hands." James agreed.

"Okay, goodnight James. I guess I'll meet you in the Great Hall." Lily went up the stairs to the room she shared with Cassidy O'Brian, Alice Westbrook, Gabriella Martinez, Heather Cox, and Paris Waters. Lily got along really well with Cassidy, Alice, Gabriella, but the four of them couldn't stand Heather or Paris. They had to be some of the biggest sluts at Hogwarts. They were always hanging all over James and Sirius, but the boys would never even give them the time of day. But, whenever Sirius wanted him a good snog, he'd give Heather or Paris a call.

James watched as Lily went up the staircase, until he didn't see her anymore. He couldn't help but look at her, she was so pretty…but you could tell she was in so much pain. James knew he'd probably never be able to date the beautiful Lily Evans, but he would at least try to be her friend.

"Hey Prongsie, late night, huh?" Sirius said sneaking up behind him. "How was Mary?"

James turned around to Sirius, "I didn't go see Mary."

"What?! You lied to me?!" Sirius pulled out a pretend arrow from his heart.

James laughed, "You're so melodramatic.

"I am not! I don't even know what that means!" Sirius smiled, "So what did you go do?"

"Find Lily."

"What?! Your lying, she's been in her room all night."

"No she hasn't, Padfoot. She's been in the Room of Requirement. I saw her on the map sneak out."

"What was she doing there?"

"Crying her eyes out."

"Oh," Sirius's mood completely changed, he was actually serious now. "Why?"

"Her grandmother died, they were really close. Her sister wrote her a really nasty letter, saying like 'Come if you want loser,' or just plain mean. Lily cried because her grandmother was dead, and because her sister is just so mean. From what I heard in the letter, I'd rather spend the weekend end with Snivellus then her."

"Ehh! Snivellus! Wait…go back."

"To what?"

"Spending the weekend?"

"Oh, in Muggle funerals they bring dates to cry on. I told Lily I'd go with her."

"And she's letting you?" Sirius asked completely surprised.

"Yes, but I promised her I wouldn't kiss her, only hold her hand so we looked like we were dating."

"You've also got to act like your boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Well," James began. "Lily didn't want to do it at all, she just wanted to hear her sister say how much a loser she was. But, I talked her in to it."

"So when's the funeral?" Sirius asked.

"Sunday, memorial on Saturday, and I think we're leaving Friday."

"Does Dumbledore know yet?"

"Nope, Lily and I are going talk to him tomorrow, before classes."

"You think he'll just let you two leave at lunch time, and be excused from classes all day that day?"

"Don't know Padfoot. I know one thing though."

"What's that?"

"I'm going to take a shower and go to bed."

"Oh," Sirius sad sadly. He wanted to know some juicy news.

The next day…

"Lily wake up!" Cassie opened the curtains open, usually it was Lily that was the morning person who woke Cassie up. Lily didn't get back into her room until eleven thirty, and then took a shower, didn't get out of that until midnight. Then she had to change into her clothes, wand-dry her hair, say her prayers, and it took her forever to go to sleep…she cried herself to sleep over the loss of her favorite grandmother.

In fact it was the only grandparent Lily had ever known. Her father's parents died in a car crash when Lily was three months old. Her mother's father died before Petunia was even born.

Petunia graduated from Secondary School last year, and Petunia was thrilled when she found out that Lily wouldn't be able to make it. That Lily didn't leave her school until a week later. Petunia had dating this guy named Vernon Dursley, for a few years now. He was even uglier than Petunia was. He played Rugby for his Secondary School team, and now for college. Yes, of course Petunia followed Vernon to the college he was at. Petunia had been saying for ages that they'd get married, which Lily hoped they did, because they were both so horrible that they deserved one another.

"Lily! Will you wake up?!"

"Cass, I'm up. I'm up!"

"Yeah, but you have to get ready."

"Nope, just say that little word to put on light make-up, brush my hair and teeth, and put my clothes on." So with that Lily did what she had to, and when she was done, Lily was waiting on Cassidy.

"Golly! Come on, you were complaining about me."

"Yeah, she was." Gabriella giggled.

"So, Lily why were you crying last night after you got out of the shower?" Alice asked.

"Uh…well…."

"You were crying last night?" Heather asked, not actually being worried, but to gossip on.

"No, I wasn't crying." Lily lied, "My allergies are messing up because of that nasty perfume you wear, Paris."

"Just because your common nose can't stand, expensive perfume, doesn't mean you have to take it out on me. Maybe if you had just a little more class…."

Cassidy came running in the room, no and she meant no one was going to put Lily down. Cassidy knew for a fact that Lily was crying last night, and Lily never went to bed until she had gotten out of the shower at about midnight. "First off, Lily is anything but common. She's one of the classiest girls in our school. Second off, Lily has really bad allergies…and didn't McGonagall already tell you not to spray that in here, because it makes Lily sick? Lastly, if any one has low class it's you Heather, and you Paris. Both of you are sluts, would snog any guy in the school and probably more."

Heather and Paris stuck their noses in the air, picked up their bags, and left.

"Thank god their gone!" Gabriella giggled. Gabriella, or Gabby is what the girls call her, was the giggler. Not an annoying giggler, but she was always giggling which made other people laugh. Gabby was a pretty Hispanic girl. She was about 5'2 long curly dark brown hair, she had a very tan complection, and sometimes you could hear her accent from speaking Spanish all the time at her house. Gabby's eyes were a dark brown with black flakes here and there. Gabby was born in Madrid, Spain, but when Gabby was three her parents moved to London, so her father could get a better job. Her parents could speak English, but Spanish was preferred in their home, because it was part of their heritage.

"There she goes again with the giggling," Alice laughed. Alice was a sweet girl, she was about 5'1, with a round face. She had short blond hair that come to her shoulders, it was a little wavy, and she had baby blue eyes.

"Okay, I'm done getting ready. Can we go down to breakfast now?" Cassidy asked. Cassidy was blond with lots of curls that were halfway down her back, she had light skin, but not as light as Lily's. Cassie's cheeks were always a light pink, it was natural, and Cassie loved it because she never had to apply blush. Cassie had hazel eyes that changed with her mood and she was about 5'4.

"Well, yeah Cass. We've been waiting on you." Lily laughed. Lily was the tallest of them all, she was 5'5, but she was still growing. Lily had long straight auburn hair that was almost as long as Cassie's. Lily had milky white skin, and brilliant emerald green eyes. They usually sparkled when you looked into them, but here lately they'd been very dull. "Oh, you guys before we leave."

"I knew it," Cassie said jokingly. "We're never going to leave."

"I'll probably be leaving at lunch on Friday and not be back until Sunday night."

"Why?" Gabby said not laughing for once.

"My grandmother died, I had to be by myself last night. James found me last night, how I don't know." She lied. "He helped me out, it was really weird…he was actually human. He didn't have that stupid Snitch, and he didn't mess his hair up…he was just trying to get me not to be upset anymore. In the Muggle community, your suppose to bring a date, to have there as support at the funeral. I don't have a boyfriend so James volunteered. I wasn't so sure at first. But, he swore not to kiss me and we are only going to hold hands, so it will look like we are dating to my sister."

"Oh no, Petunia's going to be there?" Alice said with lots of sympathy, "I am so sorry for you."

"Thanks."

"So, whoa, whoa, whoa!" Cassie said and they all turned to look at her. "Let me get this straight, your taking James as your date to your grandmother's funeral, he knew about your grandmother before me, he comforted you before me, you hated him yesterday after noon…so much that you wanted to kill him, now you two are all friends, and your on a first name basis?! What the hell did I miss here? I thought you hated him?!"

"I did."

"So you fancy him?" Gabby asked.

"No! We are just going to try and be friends."

"Right, let's go to breakfast." Said Cassie.

At the end of breakfast…

"And so you see why our Jamey and Lily are on a first name basis and Lily won't be trying to kill him everyday now." Sirius had just explained to Moony and Wormtail what had happened last night.

"Interesting, Padfoot….but why couldn't Prongs tell us?" Peter asked.

"Shut up, Wormtail."

"Hey!" James said, "Wormtail does have a point."

"Because I wanted to, and you're suppose to be finding Lily to go see Dumbledore about leaving Friday to go to her grandmother's funeral."

"Oh, yeah." James picked up a biscuit, and went looking for Lily.

Meanwhile…

"So?" Gabby asked looking around. "Where's James? Aren't the two of you suppose to go see Dumbledore?"

"Yes, but you know how long it take guys to eat," Cassidy said also looking up and down the Gryffindor table.

"Okay, you guys I have to go meet Frank," Alice said getting up and walking over to the Hufflepuff table.

"So how long do you think she'll be with Frank?" Cassidy said looking after Alice.

"I don't know, they look really cute together, and they seem to get along." Gabby said looking for Ludo. She found him and he came to join them at the Gryffindor table.

"Lily?" Came a voice from behind her, she turned around and it was none other than James Potter. "Are you ready to go see Dumbledore? I just saw him leave the staff table."

Lily looked around at her friends, and Ludo; the girls gave her a thumb up and Ludo looked absolutely confused. "Yes, Potter lets go." James flinched when he heard her address him as Potter, he thought maybe he'd made some lead way on her. She got up and followed him out of the Great Hall. They walked to Dumbledore's Office in silence. When they got to the stone Gargoyle and James said loudly and clearly, "Sugar Quills!" He Gargoyle left and Lily looked in awe.

"How did you know the password?"

James laughed, "Are you kidding me? Dumbledore just has the same ones over and over and switches them up. But, I guess because I'm always up here to see him."

They were now going up the stairs to Dumbledore, "Do you get in that much trouble?" Lily asked him.

"Huh? Oh, no. Most of the time I don't come see him for my punishments. My parents are Auror's and sometimes their gone for weeks or months and I'm not able to get and mail from them. So when they come back they go to Dumbledore's office and I get to visit them for a while."

"Wow," Lily said. James didn't know if she meant about him seeing her parents, or the little room they'd just entered outside of Dumbledore's office.

They sat down on a little couch by a perch were a beautiful Scarlet Phoenix was sitting. "Hello Fawks," James said stroking him.

"Oh my! Is that a real Phoenix?!"

"Yes, Lily. Dumbledore has had it for ages."

"Hello Misses and Mister." A little voice from a house-elf said standing in front of them. "Mister Dumbledore is busy in a meeting right now, but he said if you'd wait a while he'll be with you soon."

"He knew we were coming?" Lily asked looking at James.

"I'll explain in a moment," James whispered to Lily. Then he spoke to the House-elf, "Tell Professor Dumbledore, we'll wait for him here, and then he can write us a pass back to class."

"Yes, sir." The house-elf walked back into Dumbledore's office.

"So we just wait?" Lily asked James.

"Yes, we just wait. And while we're waiting I can explain to you how he knew we were coming."