Morning came and the first out of bed were Sirius and Remus, who awoke to the others brilliant smile and some kisses. Then they woke up Peter, who took ten minutes to be persuaded that it was indeed Christmas morning. Remus then went to wake James, who, during the night, had wrapped Lily in his arms and gotten their legs tangled. James was reluctant to get up but very gently removed himself from Lily and went to join the boys.
Remus gave James a small glare before getting on with his little speech. "Well then.. We need to know what to do when Lily wakes up. I know her very well so I can safely say she won't want to be up before 11 because its Christmas, so we have two hours to decide."
Sirius was the first to speak up. "Well… Moony, we don't exactly do Lily Evans. I mean, she's your cousin and all, but what are we supposed to do? She won't want to be around us."
Peter chimed in next. "Well, Sirius, she might be our friend if you hadn't asked her out and then cheated on her for a guy."
Sirius threw a pillow at Peter then charmed it to hit him until he decided Peter had enough.
"Guys…" James began, "maybe she needs to feel like she isn't alone. I mean, she knows about your parents, Moony, but she doesn't know about ours." Remus nodded in agreement and James went on. "I think we should tell her about what he did to our parents and tell her she's welcome to stay with us and we'd love to let her cry to us."
They all agreed and began throwing presents at each other when Lily began to cry in her sleep. Remus went over and gently woke her up and held her close. When she calmed down he led her to the other boys and began to talk.
"Lils, I know that we're not your favorite group of people. Hell, I'm not even sure you'd associate with me if I weren't your cousin…" ("YES I WOULD!") He laughed. "But, we are the only ones here, and we'll be the only ones you can talk to for a while. So, we might as well break the ice and explain some stuff."
James took over from there. "You aren't the only one here who was hurt by Voldemort. You already know about Remus, seeing as you're his cousin, but what about the rest of us? Do you know how we've been hurt by him?" She shook her head/ "Thought so… sigh My parents… My parents are aurorers. My dad was assigned to a group who were taking out death eaters during their raids last Christmas. He was fighting off two older ones when Severus Snape crept behind him and muttered the killing curse. My dad died at the hands of a Voldemort controlled Snape.
My mum… she used to be beautiful and happy. She had a spirit that couldn't be rivaled. She loved it when Sirius and I would come home and play pranks because she found them hilarious. After my dad died though.. She became empty. There's nothing left to her. She doesn't even notice me anymore. That's why I'm here this Christmas."
Lily looked at James, eyes glazed with tears, and leaned over to hug him. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "I never knew."
Sirius took the next opportunity. "My parents weren't killed or anything. Not that I'd care. But my family has always been very pure blood oriented. My brother, Regalus, joined the death eaters. He was killed at the hands of Voldemort. I was told every day how he was a better son then me and then when I wasn't all sad because he died I got it so bad I left. I live with James now so his parents are pretty much my parents so I suffered too when his dad died."
Lily hugged him too.
Peter squeaked next. "My mum was a muggle and left after she found out my dad and I were wizards. He who must not be named killed her last summer while I was at James' house."
Lily forced herself to hug him too. She leaned back against the bed behind her (coincidentally James' bed) and a few tears slipped down her cheeks.
"He killed my parents in an attempt to kill me." This caught the boys by surprise. "For the past year now, I've been receiving visions in my dreams. Not crackpot visions like our Divination teacher has. Real ones that worry Dumbledore. I'm supposed to have a baby about two years after graduation. He's supposed to be the one with power to kill the dark lord. Voldemort is gonna come and kill the one I marry and then kill me in an attempt to kill the baby. I wake up after that. I don't know the rest of what happens.. I wake up after I die. But Voldemort knows I'm gonna have the kid so he wants to kill me before I have the chance.
I walked into my front room and saw them. They were both on the floor with expressions of terror on their faces. The mark was floating above them and I fell to my knees and cried. Petunia… my sister… was in hysterics by the time the Ministry officials showed up. After they left, the female aurorer… I think it was your mom, James… she waited for me to come so I could be escorted back to school. Petunia told me that I was a freak and I wasn't going to be informed of my parents funeral and that their death was all my fault. I broke down crying again and had to be carried here."
Lily started to break down crying again and before Remus could touch her, James had his arm around her and let her cry into him. She finally calmed down and they told her she could stay with them as long as she needed and they were there for her.
"Well… I am hungry. Lets get food!"
They all laughed and went to the kitchens to get some food. Lily barely noticed the trouble in James' eyes, but when she did she made a note to talk to him about it later. They ate and went to the tower to open presents and have hot chocolate. They even went outside to play quiditch for a while. Around ten they all went to bed, Lily with Remus and Sirius seriously disappointed (yes, pun intended, even if it is sucky). After Remus fell asleep, Lily slid out of bed and slipped into James' bed.
"What the—"
She covered his mouth with her hands and cast a silencing charm on the curtains.
"I want to know what you were thinking about all of today. And don't you dare deny anything James Harold Potter. I saw it in your eyes."
He sighed. "I wish I could tell you, Lily, I wish I could. But I can't and your going to have to leave it at that."
He rolled over and pretended to go to sleep. Lily just stayed there until she began to doze off. He pulled her down and held her close while she slept so they would both have a good night's sleep.
