Chapter 2: Adjustments

Lily's POV

The rain continued on into the week, and as I sat on the couch six days later I could hear it pattering on the windows in the main room. The cabin was quite nice, now that we had cleaned it. It was chilly, though the temperature was normal for northern England. I had bundled up in jeans and a turtleneck sweater with thick cable knit socks I know Dumbledore would have adored. James was sitting at the opposite end of the couch, both of us reading our books for Auror training, which had began in two months, January in fact. There had not been enough room in the class that started directly after Hogwarts so James and I had to wait until the next semester started.

Sirius had a job at the ministry, filing papers and such but it didn't pay much, and Remus was studying to be a teacher. So basically, the only one who had a job was Sirius. I had had a job at Honeydukes during seventh year (being Head Girl allowed me to be in the village on times other than Hogsmede weekends) and thus had money saved up from that. James had some family money and that went mostly to food. Remus was making a few sickles helping out his professors at the ministry where he was getting his teaching training. So we were all pretty much waiting for the real careers to start.

That day, Remus was in their room, writing an essay for his class, and Sirius was at his job, which left James and I alone in the main room together. It was the first time in a long time we had been alone, and personally, I was surprised he hadn't tried to kiss me yet. But he seemed to be intent on his book. And I don't know how that was possible because I, who loved reading, was bored out of my mind by "Quick Defense in Public Places." I could not read one more word of it. Slamming the book shut I placed it on the floor next to my fuzzy, muggle, slippers.

"James, I'm bored!" I whined. He slipped a paper with notes on it between the pages he was reading and closed his book too. I looked him sitting there, flannel shirt un-tucked, with gray socks sticking out of his corduroy pant legs and I felt my stomach flip flop. It hadn't done that in a long time. I smiled at the feeling.

"What are you smiling at?" he said smirking. He knew the answer he just wanted to hear me say it.

"You."

"Oh, in that case I can think of something that will occupy us," He paused for a moment, drawing out his wand and muttering something under his breath. A box appeared in his hand. "Chutes and Ladders! Ever heard of it, it's this great muggle game."

"James, I'm muggle-born. Of course I know it. And I am not very interested in playing," I said getting up on my knees and moving over to his end of the couch. I vanished the game.

"Well you're the bored one..." he trailed off jokingly as I got to directly above him. I was not going to wait for him any longer. Leaning down, I kissed him. He kissed me back, moving his legs over so I could sit down next to him. Just then we heard a door open. Yanking back from each other, we saw Remus trying to creep out of the bedroom.

"Don't mind me, just going to the loo, I was never here."

James laughed pulling me into a one armed hug so that my back was to his chest. He picked up his book with his other hand and I decided to take a nap…if was the most comfortable thing to fall asleep being held by James, honestly. He's skinny enough to give you enough room but big enough to be a living pillow.

The door being burst open and footsteps pounding inside rudely awoke me sometime later. James jumped up, making me lean up as well. I could tell he had been sleeping too, for his glasses were on the floor next to his book.

"SIRIUS! Didn't your mother ever teach how to open the bloody door without waking everyone up!"

"It's raining out, James, I was running and I slipped in the mud and went flying into the door!"

"Why didn't you just apparate?" Remus said logically, from the table where he was eating the snack he had apparently made while we were sleeping.

"I had to get the motorbike home some how!" Sirius said, "Anyway, we're invited to dinner at the Jones'. Something important, Dumbledore is coming…I don't quite remember all of it; I just know Amy is cooking and I am very happy about that. Oh, what're you eating, Moony?" Sirius shrugged his wet cloak to the floor and draped his robes over one of the chairs at the table. His tee shirt and jeans he had had on underneath were still dry.

"Nachos. Go make your own, Padfoot." James and I laughed as Remus put a possessive arm around the bowl of chips and melted cheese.

"Umm, those smell good," I said standing and going over behind Remus. I met Sirius' eyes and we both knew what we were going to do. Suddenly, I grabbed Remus by the shoulders, making him jump and raise his hands to pry mine off. At that exact second, Sirius grabbed the Nachos. We laughed triumphantly, and Sirius grabbed a handful, as did James, getting up when he saw the Nachos were free. I got some as well and then handed the bowl back to Remus, who had a mock-annoyed look on his face.

"Dinner at the Jones'? Sounds good to me," James said, popping another chip into his mouth.

"Yah, sounds, great…I have to go shower first, be out in a little while, guys," said Sirius finishing his chips, and walking over to the bathroom. A moment later we heard the water running. I went back to the couch, where James joined me. Remus went back to their room to get dressed for dinner; he was always the early one. I, on the other hand, fell asleep again. When I woke up, James was now asleep at the other end of the sofa. Remus was nowhere to be seen and I doubted Sirius was still in the shower because I did not hear the water running.

I had to go brush my teeth before I went to go get dressed so I stood and crossed to the bathroom. I was humming a Gimon and Sarafunkel song as I opened the door and saw…a naked Sirius just stepping out of the shower. Shrieking, I slammed the door. James woke with a start on the couch.

Wearily he said, "How many times will I be woken by a door today?"

Remus walked out of the bedroom, dressed in black pants and a nice, blue sweater that looked baggy on his thin form. "What now?" he asked.

I shook my head and stuttered, "I really didn't mean to, I just opened the door and he was-he was- he was THERE. RIGHT THERE! This is just so, so, so…NOT right."

James and Remus looked immensely confused, and then Sirius walked out of the bathroom, towel around his waist, and said, "Geez Lily, I mean girls liked me a lot at Hogwarts, but I never once had one sneak looks at me in the shower." Then he walked nonchalantly into their room. That was when Remus and James started laughing. James was falling off the couch, his legs and feet on the floor but his back and head still on the cushions. Remus was leaning on one of the chairs at the table, hanging onto his side like he was in pain. I could tell my face was red, very, very, red.

"You walked in on Padfoot…in the shower!" James gasped, laughing harder.

"Tell us, Lils, what did you think?" Remus choked out, "'Cause we always thought Sirius had quite a fine figure but, well a lady's opinion would be nice."

"Oh, shove off, idiots." I put my hand on the door to the bedroom so that I could go to my room. I jumped back and slammed this door too, though, because inside was Sirius, but thankfully he had on his boxers on this time. This only caused Remus and James to laugh harder, and now we could hear Sirius hysterical, on the other side of the door. Groaning, I simply apparated to the attic, where I sunk to the bed, thoroughly embarrassed and annoyed.