Just a few thank yous, havent said any for a while

captainstar thanks for the beta reading. about the review, maybe it is, im trying to focus more on the others.

crazyblonde thank you, warm fuzzies to you

kacy thanks a lot.

and anyone else who said nice things, rock on.

and we're away .........................................

Chapter Twenty Nine

Home, Sweet Home

Some people liked snow, Livvy didn't. Lily loved scarves and the whiteness that was everywhere. Lainie loved to ski and so she was happy. But snow just didn't do that much for her, she was more of a summer person. Everything was okay now, her parents were speaking again but it wasn't the same. The divorce was still happening but she didn't feel the same about her parents, she could tell that none of her brothers felt the same. She was kind of glad, her and her brothers were much closer now. But still, it was odd, not knowing why, they wouldn't tell. But she had to keep going, there was no point in looking back and wondering but she could still be caught doing it. Oh well, no one was perfect.

On the Sunday morning everyone was in a flurry of packing because no one had remembered to do it on Saturday night, James had snuck in some drink which everyone suspected was spiked with some kind of alcohol but who were they to complain, and they were in no state to after a glass or two of that stuff. Even Lainie, who was known for her worrying soberness addiction at almost all times (James had gotten her drunk a couple of times, by bombarding her with stiff drinks till she almost passed out and had the worst hangover of her life). No one was feeling particularly good, in fact the smell of food was making them feel sick.

"God, James. Where the hell did you find that stuff?" Lainie said, sniffing her coffee.

"I work in mysterious ways." James said, trying to be secretive.

"Yeah, real smart. Getting us all smashed at school. Especially when you are Head Boy." Livvy said, sipping water.

"Well, it's not my fault you can't handle your drinks." James said.

"What, even I feel sick and I can carry my drink better than anybody." Lainie protested.

"This is nothing compared to what I have planned for what could be our last skiing holiday." James said with an evil glint in his eye.

Everyone just rolled their eyes, one of James's favorite hobbies, well since he discovered the art of drinking, was trying to get Lainie completely smashed, which he had rarely accomplished.

"God I remember when you tried to get me drunk at Thomas Barker's party, you ended up getting so trashed." Lainie said, reminiscing.

"Didn't you meet that guy there?" Lily said, trying to be innocent.

"Uh huh. James and Sirius got so drunk that I had to literally drag them home. I was just walking out with the two of them almost passed out on me when this cute guy walked in front of me. He smiled and indicated at the two of them, laughing, I was thinking come on, help me. I tried to walk on but I tripped over something and fell over. Those two flopped on top of me and I couldn't move, well, I could but it was hard. And everyone just started to laugh at me. The girl with the two completely smashed friends." Lainie said, nibbling a piece of avocado toast.

"Ahh, good times." James said, almost wistfully.

"We better finish packing, we only have like three hours." Lily said,

"One last walk around the grounds, then Lily. Shall we?" James said, escorting his girlfriend out of the room, (Probably to go snog each other silly but hey).

"Come help me pack, Lainie." Sirius said, hopefully.

"Fine, since everyone seems to have abandoned me." Lainie said, turning and wandering back to the common room.

"So" Sirius said, as he folded socks.

"So" Lainie replied, making James's bed.

"Are you going away for Christmas, to see family I mean."

"Probably, my dad doesn't really see his family a lot but we'll go see my mum's side."

"Cool."

"What about you?"

"Well, I'm staying with my uncle and aunt, the only family I can stand to be around."

"That's sad."

"Not with family like mine."

"Suppose not. I can't imagine not having my parents around."

"Lucky you."

"Yeah, I wish I had a brother or sister though."

"Really."

"Yeah, I envy Livvy's family so much, well, I used to."

"You have James."

"I do, well, at least I have someone."

"James really appreciates you, even though he doesn't show it."

"It's nice to know that. That he still needs me, now he's got Lily."

"He will always though."

"Not as much."

"Yes, you're like a sibling to him. And a best friend."

"I'm happy for him, you know."

"Yeah, it's nice that he got the girl."

"Yeah, well everyone gets the girl eventually, I suppose."

"Not everyone."

"Well, maybe not. If you were paralyzed, ugly, up yourself and really dry you might not. But most other people should. Or the guy could get the guys, or girl could get the girl. So many possibilities."

"Or they could just have bad luck."

"Or that."

"Or it could be a reverse airport scene. You know, where they run through the airport but, no, the plane has left and they will marry someone else. And get on with it."

"Ahh yes, but they will never stop loving them and eventually they will find each other."

"But by that time, they will drag wives and husbands and kids into it. And it will not be pretty. And lots of people will get hurt."

"Yeah, I had no idea you were so sensitive though. How many of these movies have you seen?"

"A few."

"Sleepless in Seattle."

"Yip."

"When Harry met Sally."

"Uh huh."

"Breakfast at Tiffanies."

"Yip."

"Pride and Prejudice."

"Most of it."

"Wow, someone likes chick flicks. You've got mail?"

"No, I think I had had enough of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks by that point."

"True, true. Sense and Sensibility."

"Is that the one you, James and me watched one summer."

"I think so. So, what do you think about the best friends falling for each other. As in When Harry met Sally."

"Not really. Say if you and James got together, not that you will but if you did, it would be weird, and if you broke up it would never be the same between you."

"Yeah, all those weird moments. Urggh, don't even think about me and James, that's just wrong."

"Hey, that's what happens when you have one of the best looking guys in school as your best friend."

"Suppose so, everyone thinks you are secretly shagging each other."

"You never have, have you?"

"Never, never, that would be, umm, weird."

"Good."

"What, do you suddenly have a say over exactly who I shag."

"Well....."

"Okay, just shut up. Shut up now."

They finished packing in silence, and went to join the others getting on the train.

They were just flicking through Lily's scrapbooks, god knows why she made scrapbooks, but they were fun to look at, full of photos, etc.

"So guys, ever heard of scarlet letter." James said from where he was sitting with Lily in the corner.

"No, do I want to?" Lainie said, very skeptically, looking at a photo album.

"Why not, you get to find out everyone's darkest secrets." James said.

"What's that photo?" Sirius said, suddenly looking over Lainie's shoulder and grabbing the photo album.

"Hey," Lainie said, really hoping that someone would help her out of this one.

The photo was one at the ball, it was supposed to be of Lily but it was taken from far away so Lainie was in it too. Unfortunately you could see exactly where Lainie was looking, right at Sirius. And to make it even worse the caption was "I do not like Sirius Black.".

"Lily, what's the theme for our ball?" Livvy asked.

"We were thinking maybe about the Oscars or the seasons, who know winter summer, spring and autumn. What do you think?" Lily replied.

"I kinda like the seasons." Lainie said.

"Same, the Oscars are a bit hard to dress for." Livvy said.

"Okay, what were you two planning to wear. I need some help." Lily said and the girls immediately started talking dresses, even Lainie and so the boys retired to look over Lily's photos, especially enjoying the ones from summer.

When they went their separate ways at the station, with a few light goodbyes, Lily went to her car with her parents, Livvy left with Sam, Remus was met by his older sister Matilda and Sirius was met by his cousins. James and Lainie were met by their parents who took them to a friends place for dinner.

They had just arrived home and were sitting in Lainie's room as she unpacked, she was fanatical about unpacking before she woke up.

"So James, what did you buy Lily?" she asked, lying down on the bed beside him.

"I got her a charm bracelet."

"Wow, she will love it."

"I hope so, I tried to find a lily charm but there was none so I got her a little leaf, a pair of shoes and a star."

"Wow,"

"Yeah."

"Big commitment present."

"Yeah."

"Next thing you'll be married and having kids."

"Yeah, and we'll live next to Livvy and Remus and you and Sirius."

"Right, like that's gonna happen."

"Trust me Lainie."

"Why, you lusted after Lily for a good part of seven years. And she severely disliked you for about five of them."

"Well, it works, Remus liked Livvy for ages. And he got the girl. And soon Sirius will have his girl."

"Don't make that assumption."

"Why not. It's obvious. He likes you, you like him. no problem."

"Anyway, it's Christmas Eve and I have your present."

"Really, cause yours is at home. I'll come see you tomorrow morning."

"Here it is.." Lainie said, presenting him with a present.

James ripped off the paper and found a book titled "Seventeen Years of Lainie and James." And underneath she had written "what a bloody waste".

"Thanks Lainie. It's awesome. Hey, I'll be over here to give you your present tomorrow." James said, getting up and leaving as his parents were calling him.

The next morning, Lainie was sleeping when she found herself being shaken awake. She looked up to find James standing over her.

"James, what the bloody hell are you doing here."

"Your present."

"Now."

"Yes."

"Fine." Lainie said, getting up. She walked over to the box that was standing in the corner of her room and opened it. She picked up a polo shirt which said "If found, please return to James Potter." And there was also a jumper that had Lainie across the front.

"James." Lainie squeaked tackling him onto her bed with her hug.

"They are great. I love them."

"Glad. And I love your present,"

Lainie leaned over and hugged James more tightly. He laughed and hugged her back.

After a while they went their separate ways. James went home and had a very nice Christmas with his parents and Lainie spent Christmas morning with her parents and had Christmas lunch with her grandparents, aunts, uncles and a whole tribe of cousins, quite a shock to someone who was used to a family of three.

Lily's Christmas was one of her best. Her parents got her a four poster bed, which looked like it was out of a fairy's house. It was painted white and gold and hang silvery hangings which were tied with gold silk. Her friends had obviously known because two gold beaded lamps arrived that afternoon. Just as she was curling up in bed, an owl tapped on her window. She moaned and reluctantly got up to open the window. She took the package and hauled herself back to bed, feeling happy but slightly bloated as she had just finished an unusually large Christmas lunch/dinner.

She sat up in bed and pulled her quilt around her and turned on one of her new lamps. She read the letter, Dear Lily, Merry Christmas gorgeous girl. Have a good one and enjoy it. Hope you love this, you deserve every bit, love you lots, James.

She smiled and began to open the present. She opened the large black box and saw a flash of silver. She gasped, inside was a silver bracelet with charms hanging from it. She took it out and admired, it was gorgeous. And it was hers. When she had finished looking at it, she put it back in it's box and put it beside her bed, open, because she would open her eyes every couple of minutes, just to check that no one had stolen it.

In another house, Olivia Barnette was completely drunk. She was trying to find a room, anywhere to sleep. She finally found a room and opened the door. She sight that met her eyes was one that was to be etched onto her mind forever. There were two people in there, in the bed. And they were in a very compromising position. She recognized the back of the head, and everything started to spin. No, not now, her head hurt, badly. She found the wall looming towards her. shit. She pushed herself off. By this time the people in the bed had noticed.

"Livvy." Someone called tentatively.

Not now, not now, please, she just wanted to sleep.

"Livvy." Again. She had to push herself off the wall. Suddenly she recalled what she had just saw.

"Mum." Her mouth said. No not now.

"Livv....".

She suddenly saw the other person and she realized again what was happened. No, not now, please.

"Liv,"

"Shut up. Just shudup." She screamed and slurred. Then she began to walk out of the door, and she just kept walked till she passed out and crashed to the floor, where she was, wherever that was.

and here we are. my probably feeble attempt at drama. review away. please.